Into the Light

Turning Point

-End of March-

"Does it still hurts," Severus asked cautiously, his voice sounded troubled and was underlined with concern.

"Hmm," she hummed softly as her eyes fluttered closed. "It's almost forgotten," she murmured sleepily.

Severus curled his fingers around her slender wrist and raised her hand before placing a tender kiss on its back. Her breath grew calmer, assuring him that she was asleep and Severus leaned back with a deep sigh in the chair. After studying her pale face for a long time, his tired gaze began to wander through the hospital wing. Severus did not like to be here. He combined too many dark memories with this place. Still, he was here again, sitting in an old, uncomfortable chair, which he had placed beside his wife's bed.

Severus frowned. Things that still hurt could not be forgotten, he thought gloomily as he mused about his wife's words. With a dark expression, he looked at her hand, which now rested on the blanket, above her stomach. During an incident that occurred during the lessons in the afternoon, Julie had been injured. Poppy had assured him that it was not as bad as it looked and that the wounds would soon heal.

He had never seriously considered that his wife could be hurt during a lesson. But when the incident occurred unexpectedly, Severus felt guilty. And he still did. Guilt gnawed at his heart and there was nothing he could do about it. He looked at his wife, who was twitching in her sleep. His thumbs stroked the soft skin of her uninjured hand, and his mood darkened as he thought about the scars the wounds would leave behind.

"What has happened has happened," Albus suddenly announced, who had entered the hospital wing, and stood now on the opposite side of the bed.

Severus' eyes fell on the headmaster, who was studying Julie's appearance. "Why doesn't your heartlessness surprise me," Severus hissed through gritted teeth.

Albus chuckled softly and sat down. "Severus, you should have learned by now that sometimes things happen in our lives, which we do not like, but which later can turn out to be rather useful."

"You call this useful," Severus asked agitated, pointing a hand to the injured arm of his wife. "If I didn't know better, I'd think you lost your mind."

Albus smiled and leaned back in the chair. "Was she in the same mood as you," Albus asked, looking at Severus visibly amused.

"Who?" Severus asked back.

"Your wife. Was she as angry and vindictive as you are?" he asked, raising his eyebrows expectantly.

Severus took a deep breath and his eyes fell on Julie, who slept peacefully. Vindictive? That was not his wife, he thought. Julie had not even been angry with the culprit. Although the student had acted grossly negligently and had thus threatened the safety of others, Julie had already accepted his apology. Severus shifted on his chair and his dark gaze then met with Albus' who was - to his anger - still amused.

"No," he growled. "No, she is neither vindictive nor angry."

"Then why are you?" With these words, Albus rose and turned to leave the hospital wing.

Severus glanced at him, until the door finally closed and silence returned to the large room.

"If looks could kill," said Poppy, who was now approaching the bed. "Albus would not have survived," she explained as Severus looked at her questioningly.

He scoffed and shook his head agitated.

"Here, take this." Poppy handed him a cup of coffee, which caused Severus to wrinkle his nose.