Angelica's Sorrow

A/N

I also have to share a small giggle with you. In Chapter Eight when Dumbledore steps out of the fireplace & finds Severus yelling for Angelica, my first inclination was to have him think to himself, \"Oh, shit! He\'s lost it! We\'re screwed! What the hell are we gonna do now?\"

Snapeaholic - I\'m glad you find it interesting but I am concerned at this point that I haven\'t been as clear as I should have been with this story. Angelica is from Salazar Slytherin\'s era. Unless I bring in reincarnation at this late date (not possible) there is no way Angelica and Severus could ever have had a romance.

Deb - you haven\'t disappointed me yet. I live and breathe for your reviews. I am so thrilled to have someone like you reading my efforts.

Angie - What a hoot!! I love it that your name is Angelica. I am pleased to be able to entertain & that you like my style. One of my high school english teachers was not so enamored and made me re-write several of my papers.

Enough from me - on with the tale!

CHAPTER NINE


\"Begging pardon, Professor, Sir.\" Dobby appeared in Snape\'s private laboratory with a downcast face.

Severus looked at the elf while continuing to stir Salazar\'s creation. Dobby\'s silent appearance had startled him, but he would be damned if it would show. He had prepared the basic potion several days prior and now only needed to reheat it to add the final two ingredients. Placing the stirring rod to the side, Snape used his wand to lower the flame under the cauldron far enough to maintain the desired temperature.

\"Well, quit wasting my time. What is it?\"

\"Begging pardon, again, Sir. Headmaster Dumbledore asks Dobby to tell Professor Snape that he is wanted in hospital ward.\"

\"Why?\"

\"Headmaster Dumbledore is not telling Dobby this, Sir.\"

\"Inform the Headmaster I will be there shortly.\"

\"Yes, Sir. Dobby thanks you, Sir.\" He left as quietly as he had appeared.

\"Sneaky little bastard,\" Snape snarled to himself as he prepared to leave.

After closing and warding doors he walked through the dungeons. If anyone had been watching they would have observed the stride was not quite up to par. The robes did not billow as fully as they had in the past. Snape was delaying his approach as much as he dared.

\'Have they transferred the subject already? It\'s the only answer. Damn Dumbledore for not letting me know who was chosen,\' he thought angrily.

Internal defenses were being built and fortified with each step taken. Control was essential.

The dark enigma that was the Potions Master paused in the doorway. He quickly scanned and noted there wasn\'t anyone else in the room. Unless - perhaps behind the white screen which hid all but the bottom of a hospital bed from his view. Severus told himself he could do this. The first step was indeed the hardest.

\'Do it! Now!\'

Six quick strides were needed to take him around the corner of the screen. The only reaction was a relieved exhale as tension, coiled in his chest, released. Normal breathing resumed.

Severus belatedly saw that Draco was alone behind the screen. He looked upon Draco\'s face and felt shame at the relief flooding his lanky frame. This young man deserved just as much, if not more, care than anyone. Snape\'s feelings for Draco approached those for a younger sibling, a bit of a stretch, but quite possibly a son. The love he felt for him was buried deep inside but always there.

Quick, sharp footsteps followed by a softer tread made him pull his hand away from Draco\'s hair. How long had he been stroking it? When had he moved to sit in the chair? Poppy burst around the screen with Narcissa close behind.

\"Oh, Professor. I didn\'t realize you were here.\"

She dug around in her pockets, looking and finally pulling out a sealed letter.

\"The Headmaster left a note for you.\"

\"Where is our dear, dear Headmaster? I would like a word with him,\" Snape asked as he rose and accepted the envelope.

It would be opened later as he was fairly certain he knew what it contained. A side pocket became its new resting place.

\"Filch came and said there was an emergency in the east tower. A wall was starting to buckle. He only stayed long enough to write you that note,\" Poppy said stiffly, responding to the deadly ire in Snape\'s drawl.

Her eyes advised he should be glad they weren\'t alone. Severus raised an eyebrow in recognition. He really didn\'t appreciate her lectures, but she was such fun to bait.

\"Narcissa, I am sorry that we meet again under such circumstances.\"

Snape portrayed the courtly gentleman he could be when needed, taking and kissing her proffered hand. A small hand that trembled slightly in his much larger grasp. Narcissa\'s eyes strayed to her son, laying too quietly in the sterile hospital bed.

\"Will he be all right, Severus?\" her voice wavering as it revealed her fears.

Snape\'s grip tightened slightly on her hand and drew her closer. His other arm wrapped itself around her shoulders as tears began to flow. A darkly brooding gaze met Poppy\'s startled one. With a flick of his head he motioned her to leave. Amazingly, as slow as Poppy\'s uptake could be, she nodded and turned away. Her footfalls faded and they were alone with Draco, leaving him sole witness to compassion being given and received. Sobs echoed in Severus\' ears while remorse flowed through his veins. He could not bring himself to be sorry it was Draco instead of Hermione in that bed.

\'I\'m still the selfish bastard my father accused me of being. I can comfort Narcissa while secretly being thankful for her decision.\'

Narcissa recovered enough to pull away. Her hands moved to wipe her tears, but paused when Snape did the task for her, gently dabbing them with a handkerchief.

\"I\'m sorry, Severus. You must think I\'m nothing but a silly girl.\"

\"Not at all. I see only a mother\'s love and concern for her child.\"
Severus\' voice was deep, soft velvet as he continued to hold her face in his hand.

\"Do not be ashamed,\" he admonished as her head dropped after being released.

\"Be proud of him and what he was able to withstand. Don\'t give in to despair until all paths have been explored. Our current detour includes risk, but is not untried. If all goes well, he will recover, Narcissa.\"

She raised her eyes to his. \"I told Dumbledore I had the utmost faith in you. If it was anyone else, I don\'t know if I could have agreed. The procedure he described is bizarre and frightening.\"

Narcissa crossed in front of him and sank to the chair. A slender hand began playing with Draco\'s hair. Smoothing it, just to be touching.

\"I think I\'ve cried more in the last few months than I have my entire life.\"

Her hand slid down, closing lids, moving back up to play with the strands.

\"I always close his eyes when I visit. It makes it easier to pretend he\'s sleeping.\"

\"I understand. It must have been very difficult for you to sign the agreement.\"

\"I didn\'t have much choice in the matter.\" Bitterness flung itself out and hit Snape in the face.

\"The Grangers didn\'t want to risk their dear little princess and Albus didn\'t hold much hope that Sibyll, or Molly would survive with memories intact. The woman was especially obtuse. She just wants to wait, see if they will come out of it on their own,\" she continued.

Narcissa\'s hand stilled and fell to the bed beside Draco.

\"I think Arthur would have signed, just for the chance to get Molly back. I couldn\'t let him risk losing what was left. Only so much should be asked of one person and his limit has already been exceeded.\" Bitterness had fled, replaced by a resigned understanding.

\"You always did have a soft spot for Arthur and Molly. I think that\'s part of the reason Lucius hated them so much.\"

\"They had what I always wanted. I would gladly have traded all the advantages of being a Malfoy just for the happiness I saw. Even though I couldn\'t have it, I was always glad to see someone did. It gave me hope for Draco.\"

\"Narcissa, you do know the Grangers are muggles, don\'t you?\"

\"Yes, Lucius used to go on for hours and hours about them and their daughter. You would not believe the hateful things he would spew. How he would take care of them when the Dark Lord was finally in power.\"

She shuddered in remembrance, bile rising in her throat yet again.

\"I doubt they would surprise me. He was very vocal during our meetings.\"

Snape stepped over and sat down on the side of the bed near her.

\"I would ask you not to hate them for their ignorance, Narcissa. They have very little knowledge of our world.\"

He picked up her right hand, stroking the back of it with his thumb.

She look up at him in surprise. \"How can they be ignorant with a witch as a daughter?\"

\"I don\'t believe Miss Granger shared much. The last few years have not been spent in childish play for our students. The loyal ones were well aware they were being groomed for war. I think she realized if they knew too much she would be pulled out and sent to a muggle school. When Dumbledore went to inform them of her condition they were totally unprepared. She hadn\'t told them anything about the Dark Lord. It took a great deal of effort on Albus\' part to convince them she was better off at St. Mungo\'s rather than a muggle hospital.\"

\"Mr. Granger did state that if he could, he would transfer her. I wondered what he meant. Oh, those poor parents. Not to even understand what happened.\"

Her free hand flew to her mouth.

\"She could have been safe. Why didn\'t she tell them?\"

\"Do you honestly believe, especially after what you told me, Lucius wouldn\'t have gone after her?\"

\"No. I realized the irony as soon as the words left my mouth.\"

\"You are feeling better?\" Severus asked as he stood, releasing her hand.

\"Yes, you\'ve helped me a great deal today. I\'m sorry my repayment leaves you with a soaked shoulder.\"

A genuine smile moved his lips and Narcissa was reminded of the young man she had loved for a time. No, never quite handsome, but definitely soul stirring. The corner of her heart that remained his reminded her of the might have beens.

\"I\'m sorry, Narcissa. I need two small items from Draco to finish the required potion.\"

\"What ever you need, take it.\"

\"Only a rooted hair and a sliver of fingernail.\"

Narcissa\'s eyes widened. She knew that using a rooted hair bordered on the dark arts.

\"How much is this going to take from you?\"

\"I will be fine. Do not concern yourself with me, save it for Draco.\"

He moved to the far side of the bed and gently extracted a hair, holding it up to peer at the end to make sure there was an adequate root. Severus placed it in an empty vial and bent to use a small knife, obtaining the amount of nail he needed. It joined the hair in the vial which was stoppered and placed in his pocket. He returned to her side.

\"Poppy would gladly sit with you.\"

\"No. At St. Mungo\'s I never had a chance to be alone with him. It will be a nice change.\"

He nodded and turned to leave.

\"Severus, thank you. For all you\'ve done and are going to do.\"

There was no ready response so he merely nodded again as he swept from the ward. The return trip to his laboratory was accompanied by the full glory of his billowing robes. Snape was back in stride. Purpose had returned and was welcomed.


Severus was still in his lab three hours later, absorbed in his notes. A simmering cauldron was near.

\"How long before the potion will be ready?\" Albus inquired as he stepped through the door.

\"I have to stir it every half hour for another two and a half hours before I can let it cool.\"

Albus was not surprised at the frosty tones which greeted his arrival.

\"Severus, I had to take care of an emergency. I had planned on taking you aside to advise the outcome of this morning\'s meeting.\"

\"I didn\'t realize the floor system had failed at any point today. I take it that is the reason you sent Dobby to summon my presence, instead of notifying me yourself? My confidence in you is failing, Headmaster. I thought you had fixed it properly the last time. Between that and the buckling walls, I marvel we still have a roof over our heads. Should I prepare to dive under my desk?\" Words were delivered to Albus by a barely controlled fire.

\"I didn\'t realize you wouldn\'t mind others knowing about your situation, Severus. I must say my admiration for you is growing. Bravo! May I tell Minerva as well?\"

\"What others?\" Snape\'s anger cooled slightly at the sarcastic response. It appeared the old man was still able to give as good as he got.

\"Narcissa and the medics who transported Draco.\" Dumbledore paused, \"Did Poppy give you my note?\"

\"After I saw who had been chosen.\"

\"As I said, I did not plan it that way, Severus. As you are well aware, all things are not under my control.\"

\'Damn,\' Snape realized the twinkle had returned. \'Playtime over for now.\'

\"I\'ve been trying to calculate how long it will take to move Draco\'s memories to the large pensieve. According to my notes it took Salazar about five hours to transfer Angelica\'s. Since Draco is approximately half her age, I estimate two and a half to three hours.\"

\"That sounds reasonable.\"

\"If I don\'t contact you after four hours send someone in to investigate.\"

\"I don\'t care for the idea of you being in there alone.\"

\"I won\'t be alone. You forget Angelica is there.\"

\"No, not forgotten. She is the focus of my concern. Her abilities are an unknown factor.\"

Snape closed his eyes and sighed, \"We really don\'t have a choice in the matter, Albus. Salazar clearly states in his diary that nothing must interfere with the flow until it\'s finished. He doesn\'t state what damage might result, but I don\'t care to risk Draco\'s chances. You know why he chose the location for the pensieve room so carefully. It\'s the farthest spot away from the castle\'s central core of magic.\"

Black eyes opened and dared the blue to argue.

\"I know, thus my concern over Angelica\'s possible contribution.\"

\"As angry as she was with me, I have no doubt if she had been able to do anything she would have. Enough! After considerable consideration, I have come to the conclusion assistance will be needed while sifting the memories from the large pensieve to the smaller one. I don\'t know what affect the potion will have on me until I take a dose. Salazar\'s notes continue to leave much to be desired and we don\'t dare risk an overflow. Another small pensieve will be needed so I can begin filling it while the first one is emptied by my assistant.\"

\"I think I can fulfill the role of assistant. I can even provide my own pensieve,\" Albus said with a small chuckle.

\"Are you sure you have the strength?\" Snape\'s eyebrow also questioned the Headmaster.

\"From what you\'re telling me I would only have to sit and watch you do all the hard, dirty work.\"

The twinkle was more pronounced, waiting for a comeback.

\"Ah, you finally admit the truth after all these years.\"

He hated to disappoint, even when the opening was so broad it wasn\'t a challenge.

\"It would also involve transferring the memories back to Draco as I start to fill the second one.\"

\"I don\'t believe that will overly tax me. Since the dinner hour is almost upon us, I propose that we delay starting until morning. I know Narcissa is looking forward to dining with you this evening.\"

Severus rose and followed the Headmaster, pausing long enough to ward the doors. He was looking forward to the day ending on a more pleasant note than he had enjoyed for quite some time.