The Redemption of Severus Snape

Part 15

"Don't!" shouted Neville, but it was too late. The toad had spit a dart into the bicep of her left arm before disappearing under the water. Lindsay's face went slack, and she slowly fell backwards into the water. Neville held her head above the water and pulled out his wand, which he promptly dropped. He splashed and searched in a near panic. He seized his wand, turned it around to hold the hilt, pointed it to the sky, and shouted, "Periculum!"

Lindsay woke with a blinding headache. She tried to sit up, but was gently pushed back down. She lifted her hand to her head and a tremendous pain shot through her arm. She focused her eyes to see that her arm was quite black all the way from her fingertips to her shoulder. It was then that she realized she was in the hospital wing. "What happened?"

"According to Mr. Longbottom, you were stung by a poison-dart toad. Honestly, Miss Gray, you really must learn to let the wildlife alone."

Lindsay was released in the morning after yet another stern warning from Madame Pomfrey. Her arm was now a dark purplish color, but totally usable. She'd slept off the headache. She returned to her rooms and was greeted by Ron and Harry. Ron was seated at the table eating, and Harry was looking through Lindsay's drawings. "I'm really sorry for scaring that Hippogriff. I didn't know you were in there with it."

"Don't worry about it, Ron. It was an accident. Have either of you seen Neville? He usually visits me in the hospital wing."

"McGonagall gave him detention with Filch," replied Ron.

"For carelessness over the toad," added Harry.

"I'll have to apologize to him, and have a word with Professor McGonagall. Do you know how the Hippogriff is doing?"

"We haven't been back," answered Harry. "Your drawings are good. I like the one where Professor Sprout has dirt on her nose. That's a good one of Hermione too."

"Thank you, I'm still working on them. I plan on using them as bases for oil paintings. I'm just going to get washed up and changed. I want to see how Hagrid's getting along with his new Hippogriff."

"Glutton for punishment," said Harry. "You done eating yet, Ron?"

The gate to Stampy's pen was open when Lindsay arrived. It wasn't like Hagrid to be so remiss, and Lindsay wondered if he'd been injured. She approached very cautiously. Years of dance training had made her surefooted and silent. As it turns out, the caution was unnecessary. Stampy was still in his pen, but he'd been rendered harmless. Hagrid stood over his body sobbing into his hankie. Dumbledore, the only other person present, turned to greet Lindsay as she approached. "You're looking well."

"Thank you, Professor, I feel well. What happened?"

"I'm afraid the poor creature just couldn't hang on any longer. He expired only moments ago. Hagrid called on me, but I wasn't able to help."

Hagrid wailed; it was such a mournful piteous sound that it brought tears to Lindsay's eyes. "I'll jus' go and get a spade then." Hagrid wiped his eyes on his forearm and trudged back to his hut.

Dumbledore watched him leave, waiting until he was out of earshot. Lindsay's eyes moved from Dumbledore to the dead Hippogriff and back again. She was hesitant. Dumbledore's eyes shimmered as they caught hers. "Do it, Lindsay. Try it before Hagrid returns."

Lindsay stepped forward and knelt beside Stampy. She placed one hand on the animal's breastbone and the other on his ribcage. His body was still warm. She focused her attention on his chest; her hands were encircled in a faint blue light. "I hear voices, Headmaster. They're distant, but I...."

"Stay focused." Dumbledore moved closer and studied her face. She closed her eyes tightly and appeared to be listening intently to something he couldn't hear.

Lindsay opened her eyes. "Stand back, sir." Dumbledore stepped back two paces. His eyes widened a little when the Hippogriff's body twitched slightly. "Not strong enough," mumbled Lindsay. She repositioned her hands, raising one slightly and lowering the other. Her brow furrowed and the blue light became more intense. The Hippogriff's body jumped, a foot twitched then a wing. Lindsay took her hands away and moved back. The animal took a great deep breath, opened his eyes, and sat up. He looked first to Dumbledore then to Lindsay and bowed his head. He lay down with his head on his forelegs and rested.

"Ah, Hagrid," said Dumbledore as calmly as could be. "It seems to have been a false alarm. The animal was just in a very deep sleep."

Hagrid dropped his spade and stared in disbelief. "It can' be. I checked 'im mehself."

"Well, we all make mistakes. But he does appear a bit under the weather. Perhaps a few dead ferrets will brighten him up. Lindsay, if you wouldn't mind escorting me back to the castle." Lindsay patted Hagrid's arm as she passed him, and locked the gate behind her as she and Dumbledore exited the pen. She hooked her arm in the Headmaster's and they walked slowly back to the castle. "Tell me what you heard."

"It was jumble of voices, some human and some I couldn't identify. It's hard to explain. It's like putting on a blindfold and walking through a crowd of people who are all talking at once, and finding a familiar person by voice alone. The more I focused, the louder one voice became. Well, I thought it was a voice at first, but it was more like feeling."

"A feeling? Like a touch?"

"It was emotion used as language. I felt what Stampy felt, and I understood what he was telling me. It seemed like both feeling and sound while it was happening, but now that I think on it...."

"Don't over-analyze, you'll only muddle things up. Some things must be accepted as they are. Now tell me what you did to make the body jump."

"Oh, that was the easiest part of it all. Once I convinced Stampy that Hagrid wouldn't hurt him, he agreed to come back. I just used defibrillation to restart his heart. Muggle doctors use medical tools to do it. It's just a jolt of electricity that gets the heart pumping again."

Dumbledore was silent for a moment. He stopped walking and tilted his head down to look Lindsay in the eyes. "Tell me, what would you have done if Stampy had refused to return with you?"

"I don't know; nothing, I suppose. I guess I would've helped Hagrid bury him."

Dumbledore's voice became uncharacteristically stern. "Listen carefully. You have a tremendous gift and like all gifts, it can be abused and done so in the most horrific ways—ways that you have yet to discover. Resurrecting the dead is part of Necromancy, one of the darkest forms of magic." Lindsay went pale. "Don't misunderstand me. What you did was not dark; you healed a damaged soul, which is as far from Dark Magic as one can get. There are witches and wizards who study for decades to learn how to do what you just did naturally. You will be of great interest to those with dark ambitions. I must ask you to keep your abilities to yourself—for your own safety. Secrets can't be kept forever, but for now it would best if you didn't tell anyone."

"Alright, I'll do as you say."

Dumbledore resumed walking. "The uniqueness of your ability defies categorization. Compared to the average witch, your abilities are modest and yet you just performed magic that requires a great deal of skill. You are a paradox, Lindsay—a very pleasant one, however. Hmm, a thought has just occurred to me. How does a nice big slice of pie sound?"

"It sounds delicious."