Severus felt paranoia sink in as shadows consumed the medical wing. He frowned. The candles that lit up the room moments before had all been snuffed out. Severus knew no draft could ever blow out the candles. They were charmed, which meant magic had sent the Potions Master and his ward into the darkness.
“Who’s there?” Severus growled as he drew his wand from within his pocket. Few, tension-filled seconds passed before he saw something move in the shadows.
“Come and face me like a man, Black,” he growled at the darkness. A sickening chuckle filled the air. The sound curdled Severus’s blood.
“Why would I want to do that, Snivelly?” The voice that echoed out wasn’t exactly how Severus remembered Sirius Black’s voice to be. Of course, the man had spent the last twelve years in the most horrific prison known to exist. Something was bound to change. Appearance and voice were more than likely the first things to warp before mentality followed closely after.
“It seems dear, sweet Ella Cross has fallen ill! What are you doing protecting her like that, Snivellus?” The man’s questions and words bothered Severus immensely. It was almost as if the man in the shadows had known Ariella would become sick. Almost like he planned it to get her alone. Dark realization spread through Severus and made him sick to his stomach. Sirius Black was intending to kill Ariella Cross and Harry Potter. Had Severus not felt the inane urge to stay at her side, he felt that Ariella would have been dead by morning. The thought solidified his resolve to protect the feverish blonde.
“Could it be you have feelings for her, Severus Snape? You, a worthless, greasy traitor? Did you forget how you despised her very existence? Or is she just so pretty? Is she so pretty that she has you forgetting your place?” The voice hissed menacingly. Severus glared into the darkness, hoping that his expression was landing on its intended and that it was making him shake in his boots. However, just as suddenly as the Hospital Ward was cast into darkness, light exploded around Severus and every candle was relit. He blinked in surprise as he turned to see Madame Pomfrey and Remus Lupin jogging toward him. Both looked confused and worried.
“Severus, are you alright?”
“What happened?” Severus ignored their questions and searched the room for the intruder. There was no way in hell that Sirius Black could’ve escaped again.
How the hell had did he even get into the school?
How was Sirius Black, wanted felon, getting past the Dementors and aurors?
The Dementors barely let students and professors onto school grounds and the aurors were just as cautious. A sudden groan brought Severus back as he returned to Ariella’s side.
“Oh, my! When you said she was sick, Remus, you meant it! I’ll have to whip up a batch of─”
“She was poisoned,” Severus spoke suddenly as Pomfrey and Lupin turned to him in utter shock.
“What?”
“Cross, she was poisoned,” Severus reiterated as he took note of the yellow tone her paled skin had taken on. Just out of curiosity, he lifted her fallen eyelids and saw the tell-tale sign. Her sclera covered in ugly tiny red spots.
“Damn him. It’s Nightshade,” he growled as Madame Pomfrey let a gasp of horror escape her lips. Remus frowned.“That’s deadly! Why isn’t she─” Remus couldn’t bring himself to say dead. The thought caused bile to rise in his throat.
Ariella Cross couldn’t die. She couldn’t.
Remus turned to Severus expectantly. The Potions Master would save her. He could see it in the other man’s eyes. Severus Snape would save Ariella Cross.
He had to.
“I don’t know. I need to get to my storeroom,” Severus replied before he swept out of the room swiftly. Remus watched him until the man disappeared from the room. Madame Pomfrey let out a soft shudder before she brushed sweat drenched curls away from the blonde professor’s strained countenance. Remus grabbed up Ariella’s cold, clammy hand into his own warm hands and studied his friend. Her skin was a nasty paste-like color and beads of sweat rolled down her arms and head, draining into her matted curls.
She looks like death warmed over, Remus thought to himself morosely. Fear for his friend’s life pulsed in his system. He couldn’t think of anything else. If Ariella were to die, he’d lose himself and he’d kill Sirius.
“Don’t worry, Elle. Snape is going to help you,” he whispered as Madame Pomfrey trotted back to her office at the far end of the wing. Remus knew what she was doing. She was preparing herself and he couldn’t blame her. Even now, Ariella’s skin turned colder with every passing second. Her breathing was ragged and Remus watched the uneven rise and fall of her body in dread. The thought of her last breath coming and her body becoming still stole his breath.
**
Severus rushed to prepare the antidote that would save Ariella’s life. He cringed when he accidentally sliced his finger instead of the root in between his fingers. He stopped suddenly.
You’re too late
A dark taunt reverberated through his being. He had been too busy with Ariella Cross to remember his crippling self-deprecation. Now it tore through him with a vengeance.
She’ll die, just like Lily. All because you couldn’t save her!
The words echoed hollowly through his soul.
Just like Lily
Ariella was nothing like Lily, he noted darkly. Ariella was loud and prideful. She was cheerful and stubborn to a fault. Lily had been kind and gentle and soft. Ariella could be cruel when she wanted and she was anything but soft and gentle. He had hurt Lily with just words and she had refused to have anything to do with him, but Ariella had simply endured the pain he had wrought upon her (both physically and mentally and verbally.) She still smiled at him and held him close as if he were precious to her.
No. Ariella was nothing like Lily. Ariella wouldn’t let this destroy her. She wouldn’t die because she hadn’t finished changing him or protecting her god-son or saving her best friend. She wouldn’t die before she had fixed all of the wrong in her broken world. Lily had given her life for her son, but Ariella wouldn’t give up her life. It was too precious to her and Severus knew it.
He returned to the antidote, working in a fervor that would scare anyone who would see it. Severus wasn’t even sure if he was breathing as he finished the potion and rushed back to the Hospital Wing. Remus looked up in surprise when Severus stormed toward him. He had been fighting tears as Ariella’s breathing became weaker and weaker, but the appearance of the Potions Master pushed the saddening thought from his brain. After all, he would save her.
“Open her mouth,” Severus commanded harshly as he brought the vial up from his pocket. Remus did as he was ordered and Severus poured the dark, bubbling ‘ooze’ down Ariella’s throat. Neither of them moved as they waited for the healing potion to take hold. Suddenly, Ariella’s body trembled violently before going completely still. Remus dropped his hands to his side as horror spread across his features. Ariella didn’t breathe. Her chest didn’t rise up and down with life. Her skin had lost its clammy sweat. Now it was just cold. He moved his golden eyes up and watched Severus’s features crumple.
Too late
The dark, once-internal words seemed to echo in the hollow room and spread through everyone.
Ariella Cross was dead.