The Hepatic Hex

Chapter 5


\'Vanilla and coconut, She smells of vanilla and coconut’

These wenapenape’s first thoughts as he slowly cleared the fog from his head. Being a Potions Master, his sense of smell was as acute as a werewolf’s at \'that time of the month” so naturally it was the first of his senses to return.

‘But it smells so real, so close. I wish she were here.\'

“Hermione” The name he said out aloud prompted all of his senses to become alert and slowly he opened his eyes. He could fell a warm and strangely reassuring pressure on his hand as he tried to focus on the faces that appeared in front of him in the dim candle lit room.

“Severus ?”

‘Dumbledore’s voice, I must have made it back to Hogwarts.’

As his eyes adjusted to the light he scanned the room he was in.

‘The hospital ward’ He was relieved to note. He looked around and found the smiling face of Poppy Pomfrey. He shut his eyes momentarily before he realised that the warm pressure on han hand was actually someone holding it. His eyes shot open when he realised that Dumbledore was too far away to be doing so and Poppy was standing on the opposite side of the bed. He scanned his eyes over to the left side of the bed and locked eyes with…

“Miss Granger” He managed to grind out. \'What the hell is she doing? Jeez Sev, you dunce, you said her name out aloud didn’t you? Well done you idiot! Time for damage control then.’

“Miss Granger would you kindly remove your hand from mine?” He said coldly.

Hermione realized for the first time that she was indeed holding her Professors hand and let it go abruptly. Blushing furiously, she mumbled an apology.

Snape was inwardly pleased that she had been so comfortable touching him and fittingly embarrassed when her actions were pointed out to her. ‘Best to keep up appearences though’ he thought.

Turning to Dumbledore and Poppy he said “Would someone like to enlighten me as to why I have the Gryffindor know-it-all student sitting next to my bed?

“Severeus, my boy,” Dumbledore started in a less than pleasant tone ”If it weren’t for Miss Granger finding you and bringing you here you may very well dead and you would do well to remember that. She stayed out of concern for you”

Snape sneered at the old man. Despite his heart fluttering at what he had heard, he used his best \'Snape the Bastard Potions Master voice\' when turned back to the girl and said:

“Miss Granger, as you can see I am fine, I hope that tonight\'s events have satisfied your need to interfere in my personal life. I want you to leave my presence, NOW!”

Hermione was taken aback by his coldness and flinched as though he had slapped her. ‘What were you expecting ‘Mione? For him to fall at your feet and profess his eternal gratitude and undying love for you? This is Snape we’re talking about.’

“I am sorry Professor.” He caught the dejection in her voice as she rose from her chair and walked out of the room without further acknowledgement. Once the door to the hospital closed Dumbledorrnedrned to Snape and asked:

“Was that really necessary Severus?” Snape ignored him and instead turned to Poppy and asked her how long it would be until he could return to his rooms in the dungeons.

“I am sorry Severus,” she started “but besides the side effects of the Cruciatus curse, you have an ailment I have been unable to diagnose. I am going to have to send you to St Mungo’s tomorrow so they can run some tests on you”

“What do you mean some sort of ailme…” Snape’s voice trailed off as the events of that night came back to him.

“There is no one left at St Mungo’s,” he started softly. He looked into the confused faces of the Headmaster and Medi-witch and began slowly recounting to them everything that had happened that evening. He finished his story just as the sky became pink with the new morning and looked at Poppy who had silent tears running down her face and Dumbledore whose face looked, for a change, every one of the 130 years he was.

There was silence among the three for a long time while they contemplated the night’s events. Voldemort was finally gone, the medical community had been decimated and there was an unknown disease curse about to be spread through their community. Finally there was the appearance of the new Queen of the Dark. Snape broke the silence.

“Albus, just exactly who is this Suzie Owen?” Snape asked

The old man sighed and conjured up a high backed leather armchair and sat down. He contemplated his thoughts for a short while before explaining.

“Suzie Owen is the last of the line of witches who are born with the ability and power to control and manipulate elemental magic. She is a direct descendent of the ancients Mab and N.”
.”

‘Well that in itself explains a lot’ thought Snape as Dumbledore paused before continuing.

“Elemental magic has all but been forgotten in our world since the move towards \'wand magic\' some 1500 years ago. The only elemental magic ever practiced today is actually potions my boy as you would know, but even the effects of the most powerful potions are insignificant compared to the elemental power of the cosmos.

Suzie Owen was a yea years ahead of Tom Riddle while they were at Hogwarts. They found within each other that her ability to manipulate elemental magic and his talents for the darks arts complemented each other well and married before they left school. Shortly afterwards Tom set about forming his Death Eater alliance. The Ministry of magic raided the home that he shared with Suzie soon after the first Death Eater attack on Muggles.

To make a long story short, Suzie fled to the safety of the Muggorldorld, and I believe you know the story of the death of Tom Riddle and the subsequence rise of Lord Voldemort. I can only surmise that they had recognized that if they have both been caught and sent to Azkaban then their plans to rid the world of all but purebloods would have fallen apart. I believe that Suzie exiled herself until Voldemort had achieved his goals so she could safely return and take her place by his side.”

Dumbledore paused for a moment and Snape thought the information over before saying:

“Then why did she kill him?” Snape was well and truly confused now.

“I think the answer to that is very simple. Suzie was an extraordinarily gifted witch who stood aside for 50 years waiting for her lover to fulfill their dreams of power and glory. As you know Voldemort failed over and over again and I believe that she decided that if their plans were to ever succeed then she would have to take control. Voldemort would have never allowed her to do so, in the end I guess she got angry and took matters into her own hands. What is that Muggle saying about not crossing a woman scorned?” The old man chuckled.

“Trust you to find humor in even the most dire situations Albus” Snape replied dryly.

Snape was about to continue when a large brown owl swooped into the room and dropped a scroll in Dumbledore’s lap. It hooted once before flying back out the window. Dumbledore broke the Ministry seal on the parchment and quickly scanned its contents.

“Well it is done Severus, Poppy. St Mungo’s has been burned to the ground. There were no survivors and any Medical mage not at the hospital was hunted down and killed in their homes. The Ministry has been sealed, they fear they will be next, they are instructing me to hold all of our students here within our well warded walls. There are to be no more Hogsmede weekends and no one is to leave the castle until further notice.”

Dumbledore stopped and turned to Poppy who was sitting in silent shock. “My dear, I thank the Gods for the wards we have here. In the weeks to come we are going to rely on your medical knowledge to try and solve the issue of this curse. I know it may seem callous of me when I know that you have just lost all of your colleagues, but I do not regret that you were here protected by the thousands of ancient prtiontion wards rather than perishing like so many of your cohorts this night.”

Slowly she turned to him and with a hint of a smile said “Thank you”.

“Severus I believe that it is safe for us to assume that what ever this disease curse is, it is causing the abnormal functioning of your liver. It is also safe to assume that it is indeed infectious like Suzie claims, in which case Poppy and myself and Miss Granger have already been infected. I would assume that Harry and Ron have also now caught the contagion because Mr. Potters invisibility cloak will not protect them from the disease.” said Dumbledore.

The last statement earned him quizzical looks from Poppy and Snape until they heard a groan of defeat and Harry and Ron appeared from under the cloak behind Dumbledore. Snape looked at them suitably outraged while Dumbledore merely continued.

“I think it is best for us to start from the beginning in order to discern what kind of disease this is and if we can establish a cure. Severus, tell me, how are you feeling?”

“Fine Headmaster, surprisingly. Exhausted from the Cruciatus but nothing else” Replied Snape still throwing mental daggers from his eyes at the two Gryffindors looking away from she sheepishly.

“I don’t suspect that you would be feeling any side affects yet” Poppy stated. “What ever the effects they are only mild at the moment, the \'illness Hues\' are still dull and pale.”

“Alright then,id tid the Headmaster. “ It will be time for breakfast soon and I have the unpleasant duty to inform everyone of the events over the past few hours. I will be cance all all classes for today and Severus I want you to rest and follow Poppy’s orders. I dare say that she is going to need your help to identify the disease. I trust you have an adequate supply of the diagnostic herbs you will need to do so?”

“Of course Headmaster.” Replied Snape

“Good then, Poppy my dear, stay strong, like I said we are going to need you to be sharp in the coming days and weeks to try and help solve this mystery. Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasly, I suggest you go clean yourselves up for breakfast and find Miss Granger. I believe that she could do with some comfort at the moment” Dumbledore shot a look at Snape as he said this but Snape merely rolled his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest.

“Mr. Potter and Weasly,\" continued the Headmaster. ”I would ask that you please refrain form mentioning what you have heard to anyone before I make my announcement at breakfast.”

“Yes sir” they replied in unison before rushing out of the room back to Gryffindor tower.

“Now I believe we have covered everything that we need to at this point. I bid you both good day.” and with that Albus Dumbledore strode of the infirmary.

Nothing else was said between Snape and Pomfrey as he took the vial of Dreamless Sleep potion she offered, down its contents and drifted immediately into a coma like sleep.