When they returned to Hogwarts in January, Severus' first trip was to the library. Petunia's wish had given him an idea, a wonderful idea, but he had to check some things... Armadillo Bile would be useful for sharpening the effect of the potion, but Billywig Sting Slime might be helpful in curing the core... and what about Re'em Blood? Dittany and Fluxweed may also be key, if combined properly with Ginger Root or Griffin Claw... Severus had a lot of work to do.
Severus' dive into fresh research meant that Lily and Remus scarcely saw anything of him for the majority of January, and then February, and it was only at the beginning of March that Severus awoke from his work-filled trance in time to wish Remus happy birthday. Severus had largely ignored his own birthday – taking the notebook Lily had given him with vigour and proceeding to fill it with notes, but did acknowledge Lily's by presenting her with the book Home Life and Social Habits of British Muggles by Wilhelm Wigworthy because he thought she would be fascinated by Wigworthy's perception of Muggles. It was a fairly large event, in fact, that caused Severus to desert his research, if only for a few weeks.
*
"It must be horrible," a Hufflepuff student said, shuddering, to a Gryffindor student. "Poor Snape."
"Imagine – the scene," the Gryffindor commented.
The Hufflepuff shook.
"I don't think I want to, thank you."
Rumours were spreading round like wildfire. Nobody knew the full story and no-one knew who'd started the first rumour, but everyone knew that it was horrific, and it was connected to Severus Snape, the second-year Ravenclaw.
*
Remus and Lily, abandoned by Severus, had aimless talks in an effort to bond over their missing friend, but many conversations fell flat.
"Have you done the Potions essay?" Began Remus awkwardly.
Lily shook her head.
"I was almost hoping that Slughorn would let me off, just this once," she confessed. "I was going to do it that night – the night it happened."
Remus shook his head miserably.
"We'd just finished working on it when Dumbledore's Patronus came," he said in a hoarse voice.
Lily patted his arm.
"We've got to stay strong," she told him. "For Severus."
Remus nodded.
"For Severus."
*
"How long is Professor Dumbledore speaking to Severus for?" Alice questioned, when Remus and Lily joined her at the Gryffindor table.
"I don't know," Lily replied.
"They've been in his office for hours," Natalie interjected, sliding in next to Remus. "You can see the professors wondering what's going on."
She was right. The Hogwarts staff sat uneasily in their seats on the High Table, hardly daring to speak, or eat.
"Well, we all know what's going on, don't we?" Mary commented, on Alice's right side. Lily sat on Alice's left. "Dumbledore's just smoothing things over."
Lily glared at the girl, tears pricking at her eyes.
"This is Sev we're talking about!" She exclaimed furiously.
Mary shrugged, and got up to go and sit by Potter and his cronies.
"I don't know what's got into her lately," Alice tutted.
"Why would she say something like that about Sev?" Lily cried. "'Dumbledore's just smoothing things over'? Why isn't she taking this seriously? It's horrible!"
"I'm not sure," soothed Alice, taking Lily's hand in hers. "Mary's always been prickly."
"But I'm sure we could question why she's sitting with Potter, Black and Pettigrew," Remus said, looking over at the aforementioned girl.
"Black's not totally crazy about Potter, though," Lily pointed out. "Not after the Quidditch trials. Perhaps Mary's trying to get in with Black, not Potter."
"Hmm," Alice said ponderingly. "Anyway, what are we going to do about Severus?"
"He doesn't respond well to sympathy," offered Remus.
"Or anything, for that matter," Alice stated.
"He craves it, inside, you know," Lily commented suddenly. "Sympathy. He hates attention, but if people are being genuinely, well, nice, he can put up with it."
"So, basically," inferred Remus, "we need to act like our usual selves, with a small dose of kindness."
"Basically."
*****
A.N. What is wrong with Severus? Well, you'll have to wait and see!
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