Chapter 33 - Matthew


Snape sat immobile, staring out the window, seeing nothing. Even Jillian's soft laughter caused him to move only his eyes, which he shot to her quickly, then, just as quickly returned to the window.

"Severus, it won't dislodge the salve if you move," she chided. "Honestly, you're acting like a child."

"All the while we brewed this noxious concoction," he said stiffly, "I never considered how awful it would feel slathered on my flesh. If it doesn't work, I will simply learn to live with the scars. I'd sooner give up my wand than go through this horrid ordeal again. How much time is left, by the way?"

"My word, Severus, you've only had it on for four hours. You have a full day to get through. Now come along and help me pick the herbs we need for this list of potions."

"Not on your life!" he spat out. "Mundrukor is the Potions master; let him gather the components."

"I asked him to let us do it. I thought it would take your mind off your discomfort, and besides, he's away at the moment. I think he went with Minerva to see Diana. You did give her my note, didn't you?"

"I did. I don't think you should assume her confinement is any sort of epiphany for her. She's used to being imprisoned by now, and if you feel she's turned over a new leaf, I'm going to have to spend a lot of time picking up the pieces of your shattered heart. I won't have the mental wherewithal to go through the next dosage of this...this ghastly treatment."

"All I did was offer an olive branch," she reminded him. She knew he'd read the note, and she had made no promises in it. She felt protective toward and responsible for Diana, but she was no fool, either. "I want to know what her plans are for the baby, that's all. And has Sparrow recovered yet?"

"No, I'm to see him this evening at St. Mungo's. I only need to complete this phase of treatment first."

"You don't need to wait, Severus," she reminded him. "The bandages will keep the salve in place, and your cloak and scarf will hide the bandages. Perhaps it's best you go now; it will take your mind off your misery."

"Don't think I can't hear the hidden laughter in your voice," he snapped churlishly. "Just wait until you need tender loving care when next you feel under the weather."

"Stop picking at that," she admonished. Sighing, she went over to him. "Why are men such babies?" She adjusted the gauze, then looked into his eyes. "I will get your scarf. You wear a scarf so well, and no one will know there is a sticky, cloying, and questionable-smelling ointment beneath it. And I will go with you to St. Mungo's, if only to make sure you don't remove the salve before its time. Okay?"

One corner of his mouth lifted slightly. "If you insist, Mrs. Snape. And you will not enter Sparrow's room with me, because I still suspect he's merely faking his coma. Merlin knows what he's capable of, and I'll not be able to focus on him if I'm worried about your safety."

"Fair enough. I'll leave word for Minerva that we're going to see Sparrow."

---

"Grummilly," Diana said, her eyes faraway and her pen poised at her lips. "How far will Minerva McGonagall and her band of malcontents go to ensure the safety of my baby?"

"Grummilly knows not how to answer, Miss Diana. Perhaps if Miss Diana's question were more specific, Grummilly could provide a specific answer."

"I need a job," she replied simply. "I plan to raise my child; I would like him or her to be a child and later an adult any mother could be proud of, and I would like Minerva's help in doing so. I know I can't expect any child of mine to attend Hogwarts, because that's only for magical children, but she must have connections that could help me.

"My strongest skills are in public relations, but I'm willing to train for any field that will provide a regular income. I need to set up house somewhere, and I need whatever help Minerva can give me to do it. How's that for specific?"

Grummilly smiled and bowed slightly, acknowledging Diana's willingness to communicate. "Miss Professor McGonagall is even now at the door, Miss Diana. Miss Diana might ask Miss Professor McGonagall the very same, and Grummilly predicts that Miss Professor McGonagall will be happy to hear the question."

"I'll just bet," she muttered. "But do please show her ladyship up, if you would."

Grummilly grinned and popped out to fetch the headmistress, happy to have someone so spirited to serve. It made for less tiresome days, and gave him something to look forward to.

---

"I know you can hear me, Sparrow," Snape said softly. "You may be able to convince the Healers you're out of it, but you know better than to assume I'd fall for it." He pulled up one of Sparrow's eyelids, searching for any flicker of awareness. His words were mere bluff; he knew very little about why one would or wouldn't be unconscious, and he could only hope his voice sounded as confident and authoritative as he'd hoped it would.

No awareness. Unless Sparrow was better at this than anyone Snape had ever encountered before, he was not mentally in this world. The blue eyes made it easy for Snape to focus on the pupil, and he whispered, "Legilimens."

Deep into Sparrow's essence Snape traveled. It wasn't a journey he would have done voluntarily. Sparrow's emotions were almost tangible, full of hatred, fear, and feelings of inferiority. Sparrow was not a happy man.

He focused on Diana, and found more along the lines of what he searched for. Sparrow's marriage to Diana was a desperate attempt on Sparrow's part to ensure he would not be ignored within the hierarchy of The Tribe. This man sought power only to keep himself from feeling invisible, Snape realized. He had no idea what to do with the power he sought, and had no more feeling for Diana than a stranger would have.

What then, of the baby?

He could find nothing, other than a fundamental knowledge of the baby's existence. He wasn't sure how to analyze this information. Not knowing how much time he had, he drifted off to another dark corridor of the man's being.

He was relieved to find only passing knowledge of Jillian in this wretched man. Sparrow was aware of Jillian's existence and her relationship with Diana, but he clearly didn't place any emphasis on it. Moving on, he reached out with his mental probing until he could find something, anything, that would let him know if Sparrow posed any sort of threat to the world at large.

As he strained to find his next clue, he became aware of Jillian entering the room behind him. Not wishing to break his tenuous thread of connection with Sparrow, and knowing Jillian was in no danger, he continued on. He could feel his energy ebbing, and knew he didn't have much more time. He reached out, grasping at nothing, at anything, and when he came to the realization of this man's insignificance in his life or Jillian's, he began to pull back, allowing the connection to break. He staggered back, feeling Jillian's hands supporting him as he ended the spell.

He pulled in a deep breath, looking at Jillian. "There's nothing there," he said. "His trials and fortune are all in his mind. No one is out to get him, as he'd have everyone believe, and he's no threat, either. Not even to Diana."

"You're not just saying that to appease me, are you?" she whispered, glancing at Sparrow's inert form. "Diana seems intimidated by him."

"Her behavior around him might stem from guilt," he pointed out. "She probably tricked him into marriage much like she tried to trick me, and later Lucius."

She grinned wryly at him. "You'll always believe the worst about her, won't you?"

He declined to answer. He turned her away from the bed, leading her out of the room. "Our work here is done, Jillian." He adjusted the scarf around his neck. "Let's go find Minerva. She should be back at Hogwarts by now. She'll want to know about Sparrow, and you'll want to know how Diana is faring."

"And what about Sparrow?" she asked. "What will become of him?"

"Well, if he doesn't regain consciousness soon, he'll be transferred to the Fourth Floor, I suppose. Let the Healers worry about him. If it were anything to do with a spell or hex, they'd know about it. If it's simply his Muggle mind collapsing, I imagine they have means of reintegrating him with the Muggle world."

He had too many other things to worry about to concern himself with someone he'd only heard of recently, and who had nothing directly to do with his and Jillian's future. Glaring at the passing young boy, whose eyes had lingered on Severus' neck for too long, he pulled his cloak more tightly over his shoulders, hunching down in the collar, as he and Jillian left the hospital.

---

"I think that's an excellent idea!" Minerva gushed. "And you're right, I do have certain acquaintances who would be more than happy to lend a hand. The first thing is to find you a flat and arrange for payment of rent until you get on your feet. I think we might be able to talk Grummilly into going with you, to help out where he can. You two seem to get on well together. Not much can be done about earning an income until after your babe is born, but this would be the best time for training, I would think. What did you have in mind to do for a living?"

"I thought something that I could do from home might be best, at least until the baby is old enough for school... Editing? I'm good at things like composition, so please tell me you know a publisher or two."

"I know people who know people," Minerva said. "I'll ask around, put the word out. How does one edit at home?"

"It can all be done online," Diana answered. "If I can get my things shipped over here from Australia, I can get hooked up in no time."

Minerva frowned, confusion darkening her face. "What must you be 'hooked up' to?"

"The Internet, of course. Don't wizards ever get online?"

"My dear, you are speaking a foreign language."

Diana laughed. "Well, trust me, it's common for Muggles to do these things. But how would I pay for all these things? I'll be so far in debt by the time I can start pulling in wages..."

"I think I can call in a few favors, so don't worry yourself about that. And some of the people I have in mind are Muggles, and would better understand what it is you're trying to do. We'll work it out in the end. I must say, I think it's wonderful, the decisions you're making."

"Me, too," Diana said, smiling, feeling the happiness inside for the first time in years. "Me, too..."