Angelica's Sorrow

A/N I admit it here in print. I\'m anal retentive. I had to go back and correct the spelling. I can\'t help myself.

Jenn - Thank you.

Deb - Go ahead and ask all the questions your sweet little heart desires. Your questions are insightful and thought provoking. I promise I\'ll provide more answers as the story progresses. Hopefully, you will continue to give me inspiration with your reviews.

CHAPTER SEVEN

The wind was almost brisk today. Some of its playful spirit returned and teased the cloaks of those who ventured outdoors. The Quiddich flags weren\'t up to their normal standards yet, but also showed more enthusiasm. Trees were once again held firmly in the soil and flowers had begun to bloom. Birds filled the air with their sweet tunes while butterflies graced the area. Yes, the wind was indeed pleased with the improvements shown on this sunny day.

Down in the shadows beneath the dungeons, preparations were underway. There were now three hospital cots lined up on one side of the room, two of them divided from the third with a screen. Severus had placed a few personal items in the small dresser next to the screened bed. Near the other beds, Poppy had filled several tables with the necessary supplies to care for her patient. Severus ambled past them mentally running over checklists. A much smaller pensieve occupied a table placed near the room\'s namesake. Albus had even been persuaded to install a bathroom near the sleeping area. It was very basic but would suffice.

The feeling in the room had been subdued but had changed during the alterations. There was a touch of anger present now. With this in mind, Snape went back to studying his notes. There had to be something he was missing. When they failed him, Severus turned again to the diaries.

Several hours later he started to close the last one in disgust. A thought flickered that it didn\'t make sense to end there. Severus re-read the last few pages closely. Salazar had planned to try restoring the altered memories to a pensive. Nothing further had been written. This wasn\'t his style at all. He hadn\'t spared his own ego while detailing his spectular failure, why wouldn\'t he continue to record the events? Snape\'s eyes unfocused while he ran this new discovery through various scenarios.

\"Professor, it\'s time for lunch,\" Poppy called to him as she walked towards the fireplace.

Snape\'s head whipped around. He had forgotten anyone else was present.

\"I\'ll be there shortly.\"

\"I really don\'t want to be grilled on your absence, since I was instruced not to leave without you.\"

\"That will be changing soon. One of us must always be present when we begin. I\'m beginning to wonder if we should arrange a sleeping schedule as well.\"

\"Right now my only concern is following the Headmaster\'s orders.\"

\"Very well, Madam. Ladies first, as the saying goes,\" He growled as he rose from the chair and joined her near the fireplace. Anything to get her to shut up and let him think.

Snape\'s thoughts continued to revolve around the newest development during lunch. He neither noticed nor cared what was put before him. Persons on either side of him felt ignored as he absently ate enough to satisfy Poppy.

\"Severus, might I have a word before you return to your labors?\" Albus had noted the distraction. \"Perhaps you would join me for a short stroll in the gardens? A bit of fresh air can work wonders.\"

Impatience warred with resignation as Snape was halted in mid-stride. A bit of Slytherian cunning slid in sideways. Maybe he could gain further information from Albus. After all, many things were available to the Headmasters of Hogwarts that weren\'t general knowledge. A stroll might persuade Albus to part with some secrets that would help the current situation.

\"Look at those roses. I had hoped they would recover but their brilliance has amazed me.\"

Snape looked at the flowers in question and suppressed the urge to blast them as he had done many times in the past.

\"They are lovely.\"

Albus lowered his head slightly and gazed at Severus over the top of his glasses.

\"I appreciate your restraint. I know they aren\'t your favorite.\"

\"I don\'t have a favorite, Albus. I dislike them all equally.\" This was delivered in a deadly tone that brooked no argument. \"I need to discuss Angelica with you. There has been a development that disturbs me. \"

\"You\'re calling the memories by name now? Are you sure it\'s wise to personalize them that way?\"

Albus sat down on one of the benches scattered throughout the gardens. It was in the shade of one of his favorite trees. He was thankful it had survived the turmoil.

\"It doesn\'t matter what they\'re called. They exist and are changing.\" Snape fell into a familiar pose with his fingers on the bridge of his nose as he paced back and forth. \"I have felt an anger in the memories, or whatever you want to call them, that wasn\'t there a few days ago.\"

\"Indeed? Tell me more.\"

Severus had managed to suprise him. That didn\'t occur very often and was generally something he tried to avoid.

\"At this point there isn\'t that much more. I went over my notes and even skimmed the diaries again, but I could find nothing to explain this alteration. The only clue I can find, is an absence of any further entries by Salazar after the notation he was going to try and recover Angelica.\"

\"You mean her memories.\"

Snape turned and gave the Headmaster a look of annoyed exasperation. The roses\' chances for reaching full bloom were rapidly diminishing at this point.

\"I was hoping you might know of something in Salazar\'s private journals that would pertain.\"

\"There is no mention of this in his journals. I have consulted the other founders\' journals as well. They were not aware of what Salazar attempted. It is not generally known, but when Hogwarts was first founded all of them were in agreement. Anyone with magical ability was welcome to learn. This changed approximately thirty years later. According to the dates in the diaries this would have been shortly after the experiment involving Mrs. Woodmont.\"

Albus paused for a moment and sighed.

\"Her youngest child attended Hogwarts. She was the only one out of the four who showed any ability. There is an entry in Rowena\'s journal about the disappearance of a mother of one of her charges. She noted how upset the child was and that the mother was never found. It wasn\'t long after that Salazar\'s attitude toward muggles and muggle-borns changed.\"

\"A connection to Salazar was never noted?\"

\"I don\'t belive any of the other founders even considered the possibility. Salazar was extremly calculating and cunning. Who knows what else may still be hidden.\"

\"Have you considered questioning his portraits?\"

\"Only one has any knowledge of the pensieve room. The others were commissioned prior to its construction and have nothing to add.\"

\"The one in his bedroom?\"

\"Yes, but he could only confirm the existence of the room and the diaries. He knows nothing of the contents.\"

\"Are you positive he\'s been entirely truthful?\"

\"He is bound by the magic of Hogwarts to serve the present Headmaster, Severus. There is no way around that.\"

\"You said he knew of the existence of the diaries. Did you ascertain how many there actually are? If there are more diaries, the portrait may know their whereabouts.\"

\"I have to admit I hadn\'t thought to inquire.\"

\"With all due respect, shouldn\'t we?\"

Snape\'s eyebrow rose to new heights. Students would have trembled under the glacial stare shot in Albus\' direction but it only served to increase the twinkle in his eyes.