Rabidity

The soft sunlight of dawn was now in Severus’s eyes. The streak fighting it’s way through the window… finding their way directly into his black eyes. His mind was hazy for a moment. The dizziness had consumed him the moment he began to sit upright. He placed his back against the wall of the shrieking shack. As he looked down at his hands they began to shake, the amount of blood covering them was frightening, as well as the dried amount on his clothes. He could no longer hear the echoing boom of spells and war. But there was an underestimated silence.

His right hand began to wander at the lining of his pockets, pulling out a small, empty vial. Bevarti’s Concoula had been a gift that Severus had received a little less than a year ago, by his young student. He had intended to keep it close so that in the event of suspicion, he may save himself… or Adrienne.

Severus had no idea that the Dark Lord had found out about their affair. He had expected the ownership of the wands may come into question sometime as Severus knew himself that Voldemort had never been the true owner. So before leaving the Malfoy manor he drank the heavy liquid before facing the man of evil.

And now his heart… still beating, only ached.

Could she really be dead?

He had to know, and it had to be now. But his body was weak, his strength… all gone. He stood clutching the wall behind him, his legs shaking. He sat back down once another way of dizziness hit him. His body had healed enough to regain consciousness, but not movement.

Trying to think of any way he could see if she was still alive he realized he would need his wand, which was a few feet from him. He began to crawl towards it – reaching; his fingers ached to have it in their grasp. And the moment he touched it he collapsed onto the dusty floor.

His wand rolled another few feet from him, as he let out a frustrated cry.

“Professor! Professor Snape!?” he heard. A couple Slytherin seventh years had come to collect his body. And upon seeing them… he could tell they had been fighting. And for the first time he realize that he no longer felt a familiar tingling in his left arm. Both boy came to his side and began to panic when they saw the amount of blood around him, the realized thought that the blood had dried, and that he must’ve been here for some time.

Snape was still dizzy, but he managed to speak only a few words: “The – The – “ he tried to get out.

“The war professor, Potter – he got Voldemort. The war is over.”

“The girl – “ he choked out.

“Professor… I don’t understand. The… Malfoys…”

“Professor… you need to stop talking. You need to rest – it looks as though you’ve been badly injured.”

“I’m bloody fine!” he said beginning to get frustrated. He tried to sit up again but another flush of dizziness made his vision go black.

Severus regained consciousness again, realizing he had been brought to St. Mungos. He was unsure of the date, he was unsure of the time, and he was unsure of the people bustling around him.

He could feel a paste slathered across his neck at parts of his chest. By the smell if it – it was a healing paste. He was now able to look around the room without the walls moving or the picture becoming fuzzy – by the rate of his healing, he had to have been here a few days. He pinched the bridge of his nose and inhaled deeply. From his bed he could see many other occupied beds, almost all of them were students, he recognized each and everyone of them. Several were suffering from various defensive spells, and others seemed to have been victims of the unforgivable curses. He realized that this was the aftermath. St. Mungo’s was significantly busy due to the high numbers of injured, he just wondered how many had given their lives… and if one of those might have been Adrienne.

He tied his the black hospital robe closed before he sat up a tried to vacate his bed. He was quickly stopped by a medi-witch and none other than Potter himself.

“Professor Snape.” Harry said. Both Potter and the witch pushed him back into the bed. He wanted to push them back… but for some reason Potter being there stopped him. Perhaps he’d know.

“Did… Adrienne – is she okay?” Severus asked him.

“I – never… I haven’t seen her I assumed…”

“She was with the Malfoy’s.” Severus started, “He – He told me-“

“The Malfoy’s fled… they left – no ones seen them since the war.”

“She… she must be with them – Narcissa would take care of her.” Severus nodded, he let himself fall back into the bed. Adrienne must be hiding with them, waiting for things to calm down. She must be waiting for him there.

“Professor, thank you. For… everything you did. I know you would’ve made Dumbledore proud.”

Severus looked up at the young man who was now grateful at his existence. It felt similar to the way Adrienne treated him.

“And I’m sorry I called you a coward.” Harry added.

“You… you were brave too Potter.” Severus said

He wanted to lie there and recover, but as a skilled Wizard he knew that he could do better on his own. He just needed someone to approve it. He watched at Potter left him to greet his other classmates, thanking them, congratulating them. Severus couldn’t help but stare into those eyes from across the room – feeling the pain he felt when Lily left him, the night she died, at least now her death was avenged. And somehow... Severus could now put his angst with her at peace.

Severus was forced to stay in the hospital and couple of days. He sent several owls hoping someone would see him fit to be released, and several more looking for the Malfoys. He had gotten few responses. With the disaster at Hogwarts, many were busy with press, deaths, and the rebuilding of Hogwarts.

He had fallen asleep several times due to the potions they were making him drink. His restless thoughts kept him up – and the nurses needed him to rest. But when he did his thoughts were plagued with Adrienne’s face, her sunken eyes, her fragile hands… he saw her the way he had left her that night he realized now she looked a lot like a corpse. She tried to eat, she tried to sleep, but she was always worried… worried about something – now he could tell that it had always been him. He half wondered how the child was – he didn’t really want to think about part of the Dark Lord surviving the war. It was a stain left in the world, something that could one day poison them all. But he wished that he could be with her, she must’ve been so frightened during the war… for him and her child. He could only picture how worried she might be now – perhaps even she thought he was dead.

Severus was able to leave the hospital on a Sunday morning. He was surprised to see that Minerva had seen to it that he got a proper change of clothes, along with a letter of apology. She asked him to return to Hogwarts as soon as he was able so that they may begin the rebuilding of the school, and salvage the end of the school year. He planned on going straight to Malfoy manor in search of Adrienne, or anyone who knew about her whereabouts. However he wasn’t strong enough to disapparate, he had to make his way to a fireplace.

After disappearing into the green flames he slightly regretting it. He was already ill by the time his feet replanted in the same study he had sat only a few nights ago. He noted that he had set off a certain ward placed there by Lucius, whom he was greeted by only moments later.

“You – you’re alive…” he stuttered.

“Barely.” Severus said gripping the edge of a tall leather chair. Lucius took noted of his friends washed color and apparent weakness. “Did you – get my owls?” he asked.

“Unfortunately no. We’ve… been trying to keep our presence a secret.”

“I heard you… left the battle.” Severus said while trying to regain his strength.

“Before it was even over.” Lucius admitted. “Draco is safe, and that’s all we care about.”

“We? Narcissa… what about – Adrienne.”

Lucius’s stance stiffened, his chin curled upwards, his hand curled around his silver cain.

“Narcissa… has had to inform me of the… affair that you so graciously hid from us both.”

Severus kept his neck straight, careful not to give any emotion away. He couldn’t tell Lucius that Narcissa was more aware than he had ever been.

“I – apologize. I know that it possibly put your family in danger, it was something I never intended –“

“It does… seem selfish you risked my family like that, however I wasn’t here when he found out. And since... my wife wasn’t harmed, despite your acts being foolish I am grateful you never indicated that Narcissa or I knew.”

“The night… so he did find out?” Severus asked, his heart sinking through the floor.

“You should speak with Narcissa, she was here… when it happened.”

“When what happened?” Severus asked. He only receive a blank and empty stare from the man he once thought of as a friend, but at the moment – he couldn’t bare any other thoughts other than Adrienne and her fate.

Severus walked down these halls that he had come to know so well. Narcissa was sitting in the drawing room with a handkerchief in her hands. There were tears in her eyes. She stood alarmed when she saw Severus.

“…You – you were named dead!” she said. Her hands were shaking, his presence was obviously unexpected. She almost didn’t want to look at him, with what she knew, she didn’t want to be the one to tell him.

“Lucius said something happened… that you were there…” Severus watched as she sucked in a large breath, afraid of what he was asking. She looked around the room, perhaps hoping Lucius or even Draco would interrupt.

“Narcissa… What. Happened?” Severus was weak, but stern. He felt as though he should shake her – and perhaps she would answer faster, but her incessant emotions was keeping him from valuable information. Lucius was drawn to comfort her, all she’d been through… fearing for her family – it was finally over she didn’t need to be strong anymore. She collapsed into her husband’s arms. He gently placed her atop the sofa once more while he took another moment to cry. Lucius was unhappy with Severus upsetting his wife so quickly, with his eyes he motioned for him to leave.

Severus took several steps back towards the hall before he heard the faintest, “wait!” She had pulled a vial from her robes and strung out the thinnest line of light from her mind.

“Take it…” she said, “I can’t bare it anymore.” Then she thrust the vial into his palm. He knew all too well what it was. Something that pained her, something he feared. She wouldn’t say anything more to him, that was obvious the way she buried herself into the arms of the man she loved… something Adrienne used to do to him.