A Wizard's Debt

Six: Severus



Evidently, I am not dead. Or, the afterlife has a remarkable resemblance to the ceiling of the Hogwarts Hospital wing and the smell of disinfectant.



“Welcome back, my friend.” Said a smooth voice to my right.



Definitely not dead, I don’t recall ever being deceased before, therefore I must be being welcomed back to the land of the living.



“Lucius?” I asked, trying to move, but not having the energy to do so.



“Yes. Do not try to move, you are too weakened by a week of healing sleep.” He said, levitating an angled mirror so I could see his face as he spoke to me.



“Who brewed the antidote?” I growled, desperate for a drop of water for a bone-dry throat.



“Here, take a sip.” Lucius said, pressing a straw to my lips, “She’s in the bed to your left, Miss Hermione Granger was your savour.” He said without mallace.



“Truly?” I pondered, the know-it-all certainly knew enough to halt my demise and remove the venom… but how.



“Yes. It drained her though – she collapsed not long after lifting a stasis spell from you. And no, I don’t know what the potion she brewed was.” Lucius said, replacing the glass on the table over my chest.



“What colour is it?” Perhaps I can guess. Anti-toxins are rather distinctive once you identify the basic features and work via a procese of elimination.



“Right now? It is a nice swamp-green, and doesn’t smell much better… but it was rose pink when it was smeered on.” Lucius said, wrinkling his nose at the smell.



“Breathe through your mouth, not your nose. Pink… that leaves a possibility of seven different anti-toxin potions.” I muttered, thinking of my Potions Mastership studies.



“It was more of a paste than a potion. It smelt rather sweet and sickly.” Lucius commented, frowning.



“Not one of the seven I thought of – but the sweet smell suggests the nectar of the Nest Snapper. Its rather distinctive – and it is probably the reason I do not feel hungry, it feeds the body while the paste does its work.” I replied.



“You know what it is that was used?”



“No, but I can narrow it down to one of nine pastes now… but the pink colour has me baffled. I have never known Miss Granger to brew a potion incorrectly, thus the pink is not a mistake – but I am not aware of any anti-toxin paste that is rose-pink…”



“It wasn’t a mistake, Professor, but intentionally made not to specifications.” Came the quiet gasp from my left.



“‘Mione! You’re awake!” Yelled Ronald Weasley – far too loudly.



“Shhh. My head hurts.” She groused, offered a straw by Potter.



Potter! My memories! He knows!



“Sir, Do you want me to tell you what it is?” she asked, shuffling to look at me, Lucius altered the mirror.



“No, I am quite enjoying this little guessing game – perhaps I am secretly a Ravenclaw.” I said, a slight smile gracing my face. “So, the paste was deliberately produced wrongly… suggesting an ingredient was unavailable?”



“Yes.” She said simply.



“Hmm… that would narrow things to three pastes: One red, one orange, one lilac.” I muttered.



“Yes.” Another one-syllable reply.



“Ah, I believe I am close to fathoming the answer… what was the paste produced in?”



“A gold cauldron.” She whispered.



“Ah – we can rule out the orange paste – it requires a silver cauldron for its brewing… so, the other two – both have decidedly illegal ingredients in them – both with substitutes…”



“I have absolutely no idea how you can awaken after a week of healing and then promptly guess your treatment, Uncle.” Said Draco quietly, taking my hand in his and squeezing gently in reassurance of his presence at my right.



“Because I am a Master of Potions and I need something constructive to do other than count ceiling tiles while I am bed-ridden.” I replied, gripping his hand firmly before he let go. “Now… I am down to two potions, either could have a replacement ingredient or two; but which did you produce? Another clue: Is the ingediant replaced edible?”



“Well, technically – but it would curse you to a half life.” She said.



“Unicorn blood… thus you brewed the…” She didn’t?!



“It would have been lilac had I chased down a unicorn – but I went for the lesser of two evils.” She said sheepishly.



“And you replaced the unicorn blood with… that of your own?” I said tactfully, I doubt her well-wishers are aware of what she has done, what she has sacrificed to save me.



What she has sacrificed to salvage someone whom did not deserve to be saved.



“Yes.” She whispered, turning her face to the pillow to hide the few tears that spilled.



“In that case – I stand forever in your debt. I owe you my life, and re-imbursement for your sacrifice in my name.” I said, the magic of the wizard’s debt sealing some aspect of my fate to her will.



“Hermione… what. Did. You. Do?” Ronald Weasley hissed.



“Nothing you need worry about – it is done and cannot be undone. It was a small thing to do to save a life.” Does Gryffindor bravery know no bounds?



“A substitute for unicorn blood? I wasn’t aware there was one!” Lucius said, more to himself than the gathering about the bedsides.



“This is one of the very few circumstances where there is… Dare I ask how this was obtained?” I said, looking at the reflection of my saviour.



“A long, sharp quill and a lot of foul language at the pain – not to mention the fact I feinted in your store room and broke a shelf-full of vials. I’ll replace them when I can. But I did clean up the mess afterward.” She said, blushing furiously. Her face the same colour as Weasley hair.



“Consider the broken vials not an issue; I am in your debt, not you in mine.” I said, watching as she smiled sheepishly before yawning and drifting back into a lighter healing sleep.



“Will you explain for those of us whom are not Masters of Potions?” Lucius said, a look of utter confusion on his face.



“It is not my tale to tell – it is up to Miss Granger to disclose further details.” I said with a yawn, before being dragged into a warm, dreamless dark.