The Courage to Live

Chapter 6

"I've lived in darkness a long time. Over the years my eyes adjusted, until the dark became my world and I could see." ~ Dexter Morgan

—

Before they left the castle, Severus detoured with Filius down to the Great Hall, where they proceeded to stock up on a few potions from the hospital stores — or, rather, Filius did. Severus, on the other hand, lurked by the entrance to the Hall and feigned ignorance until his colleague returned, not wanting Poppy to strangle him alive.

"She's gonna kill me," he muttered to the Charms professor as they started toward the entrance hall, which was about a minute's walk through the main corridors.

"Not if we never tell her," Filius pointed out cheerfully, and Severus gave him a withering look.

"She's going to find out from someone else, and then she's going to royally kill me."

"Occupational hazard," his colleague answered easily, grinning up at him. "I'm sure, by the time we get back, she'll be so relieved that we're okay that she'll — "

"Skin us alive?"

There was a moment of mutual silence, each of them envisioning a righteously angry Poppy, enraged that Severus had been allowed to go off on such a dangerous task so soon after nearly dying, and then Filius spoke up again.

"I'm not saying you're correct, but we might want to get our injuries treated by the Aurors, if we acquire any. Just as a precaution."

"Agreed," Severus said, reflexively glancing behind him. "That's one duel that I would rather not have."

"You and me both," Filius murmured.

They breathed a mutual sigh of relief when they'd made it out of the castle doors.

"I must admit that I'm curious — do you really think you could defeat Minerva, Severus?" The Charms professor asked as they stepped onto the lawn, and Severus felt his lips twitch ruefully.

"In an all-out duel? Likely. She's a wicked duelist, but, with Legilimency, I believe I could manage it. Magically, however, she may have the edge on me," he admitted, running a finger along Draco's hawthorn wand. "I know a lot of nastier magic that would give her trouble, but, barring that, she's had significantly longer to master Transfiguration than I have — those daggers nearly did me in."

"You did right to use the suit of armor," Filius agreed, trotting down the grassy slope after Severus' longer strides. "I've known Minerva to break Shield Charms with similar attacks."

"I'm glad I thought of it," Severus replied, wondering at the fact that the duel had only been a dozen hours ago. He'd already been half dead with exhaustion when he'd felt the Mark burn — he was going to be less than useless after this was done. "In retrospect, I ought to have made my case then, when I suspected Potter was standing there. I thought we were screwed when I couldn't find him outside the castle; I hadn't expected things would come to a head so soon, and I was woefully underprepared to be run out without warning."

"We are sorry about that, by the way," Filius said, guilt audible in his squeaky voice. "If we'd known — "

"None of that," Severus cut him off, waving a dismissive hand. "It's no use to think like that. Honestly, Filius," he added, seeing that the diminutive professor still looked regretful, "you really think I wouldn't have done the same if one of you had been killed by a two-faced spy? Attempted murder was a perfectly reasonable reaction — hell, I would have leapt out the window after him."

"That would certainly have been a sight to see," Filius chuckled, his graying mustache quivering with amusement. "That was quite impressive, you know. How did you manage it?"