"Severus!" Poppy gasped as Severus, Potter, and Bailey entered the hospital wing. "Beds two and three," she said immediately as she saw the boys' conditions.
"Go," Severus nudged Bailey toward the second bed as he clutched Potter tighter to his side. "Where is Bones at Poppy?"
"She's gone—"
Severus' blood ran cold as Potter let out a heartbreaking wail muffled only by Severus' shoulder.
Gone.
Susan Bones.
Severus could hardly imagine such a —
"— Amelia just left with her."
"What?" Severus blinked away the grief that was clouding his eyes to glare more effectively at Poppy. "Speak plainly, woman! Where exactly is Susan Bones?"
"St Mungo's." Poppy bristled at his acidic tone. "It's—" Poppy shook her head sadly. "It's not good, Severus."
"Susan," Potter whispered brokenly, a repeated prayer and plea. "Lue. Sue."
Lue?
"Is Luna Lovegood here?" Severus asked Poppy. He knew he was being quite rude to her, yet he could hardly bring himself to care in the moment. He could apologize later, if he found the situation warranted it once his head was clear.
"She is," Poppy said slowly, with a glance towards the first bed where the curtains surrounding the bed were closed tightly. "She's not doing well."
Potter twisted in Severus' grin so harshly that Severus nearly knocked the brat over. Then Severus felt his chest clench painfully once more as he stepped to the first bed and abruptly threw the curtain open.
"Lovegood," he sighed in relief.
The girl was curled in a fetal position on her side and was drenched in blood. Her hollow eyes appeared both haunted and haunting as she blinked up unseeingly at him.
Lovegood said nothing, she simply blinked heavily at Severus until he realized it was a silent command to hand over Potter.
Severus carefully assisted Potter on the bed beside Lovegood and the two of them magnetically seemed to arrange themselves around each other.
It would nearly be a sweet moment; if they were both not covered in blood, likely hiding multiple injuries beneath their clothes, and if they did not seem to be terrified past verbal communication.
"What is Miss Bones' prognosis?" Severus asked Poppy quietly while they watched Potter and Lovegood clutch each other for comfort.
"Bad," Poppy said baldly. "What happened, Severus? Lovegood appeared nearly an hour ago with Susan Bones who..."
Poppy swallowed and seemed to brace herself, "Who suffered severe nerve damage from the cruciatus, and... and her right arm was amputated at the elbow. I think it was done as a crude field amputation."
"What??" Severus blanched at Poppy's words. "How? Who?!"
"Lovegood won't say," Poppy whispered, her eyes trained on Lovegood. "Or couldn't, I should say. She won't speak at all. Not even when Amelia rushed Susan to St Mungo's. It's shock."
It was also well-earned, Severus himself was shocked.
Severus frowned down at two of the three students who he could admit, even if only to himself, were his favorite students within the castle.
"Harry, Luna," Severus knelt by the bed and ignored the hollow look in both children's eyes as they stared back at him. "I need to assist Poppy with your other friends, and the healers with Miss Bones will need time to work. You two rest, as soon as I am finished here, we will go there. Do you understand?"
Neither responded, but as they did not fight him either, Severus took it as acceptance. He got back to his feet and joined Poppy before spelling the curtains around their bed closed and putting up a privacy charm for them.
"What happened tonight?" Poppy asked again.
"I will explain as much as I know in a moment," Severus assured her. He looked at the second bed and was satisfied to see Bailey had fallen asleep. "Hold please. Expecto Patronum."
Was it Severus' imagination, or did his fox appear as forlorn as the child who inspired it?
Severus blinked up at the ceiling very quickly.
Do not let Susan Bones die. Potter will never recover.
"Let me know when I can bring visitors," Severus said quietly. He pushed back his emotions as he added, "They would like to be there with her. If there is anything I can do..."
No sooner had Severus sent his patronus to Amelia than one arrived from Minerva with a simple but ominous message:
"The survivors are coming."
"Survivors?" Poppy inhaled sharply. "But that... that sounds like..."
Severus closed his eyes briefly. He knew how it sounded. It likely meant that, aside from Barty (whose name he could hardly think without cringing from the grief), there were other casualties.
"Put me to work," he told Poppy desperately. "I will assist you until I hear from Amelia."
"Are you hurt?" Poppy asked, her shrewd eyes surveying Severus from top to bottom.
"Not physically," Severus said bluntly. "And I believe you will require my assistance regardless. It was... it was a full raid, Poppy. At least ten children were involved, all fighting against Death Eaters."
Poppy nodded curtly and summoned a potion. "Take this," she handed Severus the pepper-up. "I'm going to send a message to the others to start preparing for the fallout."
It was an odd term to use, a stark reminder that they had officially entered a time of active war.
Severus' mind returned to Bones. If a girl such as Bones could end up in the hospital with such a terribly injury, clinging to life with her fingertips, then it was officially war.
And Barty was apparently the first casualty.
Severus could only hope that Bones would not be the second.
Then he occluded the thoughts out of his mind and began preparing.
When the survivors came, they came in a rush of clusters.
"I'm fine," Frederick grunted as he hauled Draco in to the hospital wing. "This one's got a bad ankle and a lot of cuts. Where's Harry?"
"Resting," Severus said evasively. "You are not injured, Mister Weasley?"
Potter could not survive losing Bones and Frederick both.
"I'm fine," Frederick repeated. "Not hurt at all."
"Do not listen to 'im," Delacour scowled, following the boys in the room. "Fred was cursed, 'e could not even walk afterwards."
"Bed three and four," Severus sent Frederick and Draco to their beds and pulled out nerve replenishers and pain relievers for them both before healing Draco's ankle and promising to have Poppy return quickly to check them more thoroughly.
"My man!" William Weasley was laughing as he and Ronald carried Theodore between them to a bed Severus pointed at. Granger hovered anxiously behind them, entirely uninjured.
"Guess what he did, Snape, guess," William said. He put a hand on Theodore's shoulder and smiled proudly at the boy as he went on despite Severus' complete silence. "Stabbed a bloody death eater right in the eye!! Amycus Carrow will probably never see again!"
"Excellent," Severus said drily. He cast a diagnostic and frowned down at his ward. "You are suffering from severe magical exhaustion. Stay here and rest," he added firmly.
"Yes, sir," Theodore nodded weakly and relaxed back against the pillow.
Then Granger, in a moment of what Severus assumed was utter war-induced lunacy, slapped the poor boy in the face.
"Don't ever do that again," she hissed before promptly climbing in his bed and sobbing loudly in his chest. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry! Please, I'm sorry. I was so worried!"
Dear Lord, Severus was grateful to no longer be a hormonal teenager.
And, as much as he begrudgingly tolerated Granger's presence, if she slapped Theodore again then Severus would ban her from the hospital wing.
Theodore was visibly baffled, though as he began murmuring his own apologies, Severus presumed he was missing quite a story.
Poppy likely deserved a raise.
Blaise Zabini arrived with a girl Severus did not know, bickering as they strolled casually in to the wing.
"Sir!" the girl interrupted Blaise as soon as she saw Severus. "Blaise is hurt."
"I am not," Zabini drawled. "Snape, tell her I'm fine. She's the one who injured her leg."
"Snape?" The girl's head snapped up and she squinted at Severus. "You're Severus Snape? The potions master?"
Severus could only guess that she was a part of Lupin's pack based on her eyes. "I am," he said tersely. "Zabini, bed six."
"You're my hero," the girl said. She stuck her slim hand out at Severus with a sharp smile. "Sky Monty."
Severus quickly gripped her hand then pointed at the bed beside where he sent Zabini. "Bed seven Sky Monty," he told her.
'My hero'.
Merlin.
Black arrived next, sprinting in the wing. Lupin followed closely behind him with Longbottom unconscious in his arms.
"Where's Harry?" Black demanded immediately, his eyes frantic as he sought out Potter.
"Resting," Severus snapped impatiently. "Lupin, bed eight. What happened?"
"Hector said he was cursed," Lupin said as he put Longbottom gently on the bed. "Crucio until he passed out. Courtesy of Lestrange, I think."
"Dear God," Severus breathed. Crucio was a popular curse in battles, particularly from the Dark Lord's followers, but to use it against Longbottom? It was a psychological attack as much as it was physical. "Bellatrix, I assume?"
"Bellatrix is dead," Lupin said as Poppy immediately began casting diagnostics on Longbottom and summoning potions.
"The aurors are trying to determine what—" Lupin's lips twitched the slightest most inappropriate amount, "—what could have caused bits of metal to create holes in her chest and head."
"Are they?" Severus murmured, his lips suddenly twitching as well.
Potter was a menace. Severus had always known it to be true.
"Kingsley's pretty confused." Black barked out a laugh even as he continued his visual search for Potter. "Poor pureblood doesn't have any idea what curse it was."
"You're a pureblood, Pads," Lupin sighed.
"Am I?" Black laughed again. "Snape, where's Harry resting at? I just want to check on him. Please?"
Severus bit back a sigh and gestured at the first bed. "He needs healed," he told him, "but... but Miss Bones is at St Mungo's."
"What?" Black's eyes swiveled to Severus' immediately as the color drained from his face. "Susan? What happened?"
"A crude field amputation," Severus said. "Did either of you see Bones or Lovegood at any point?"
"No," Lupin shook his head. "We- we were caught up with Voldemort and Barty. Severus, I'm so sorr—"
"Poppy needs my assistance," Severus snapped, having no desire to hear meaningless platitudes from the wolf. "Black, attempt to get Harry and Lovegood to drink water. Lupin, heal them, if they will allow it."
When Nymphadora arrived, her face was horribly blank as she too carried an unconscious child in her arms; a small one, perhaps no older than four or five.
"Nine," Severus said as he immediately cast a diagnostic on the child. He snatched the parchment impatiently and help back a groan at the results. "Smoke damage to her throat and lungs, second degree burns across the torso and upper arms. Her pelvis is crushed. I need the burn cream!" he yelled at Poppy.
Poppy levitated a potion over the head of a weeping woman, the mother possibly.
"What happened?" Severus asked as he pulled the curtains shut so he could carefully disrobe the child with only Nymphadora and the woman as witnesses.
"She's my baby," the woman cried. "My baby! They- they caught our place on fire!! I couldn't find her!!"
"Trent saved her life," Nymphadora said quietly as she wrapped the girl in bandages after Severus quickly applied the cream to heal the burns and prevent infection. "He put the fire out and pulled the girl from the rubble."
"Is he here?" the woman asked Severus, breaking through his concentration as he began casting on the girl's badly damaged throat. "He saved her, my Allison, my baby, he saved her!"
"Quiet," Severus snapped. "His efforts will all be for naught if you do not hold your tongue."
The woman fell quiet as Severus concentrated on the child. Healing internal injuries with external spells was a delicate process. He could easily tear her throat if he did not put his entire concentration to the task.
It took nearly twenty minutes before Severus wiped the sweat off his forehead and stepped back.
"She will be fine," he told the mother calmly. "She is welcome to rest here or you can relocate her to St Mungo's if you would rather."
"We'll stay here," the woman said. She quickly sat next to her softly snoring daughter and looked up at Severus with wet eyes. "If you find that boy, Trent, will you tell him thank you? He saved her, sir. My only child. He saved her life."
"I will," Severus said.
Nymphadora pulled Severus away after that, ushering him in Poppy's office.
"Where is Susan Bones?" she asked under the loud conversations and reunions happening throughout the wing. "I don't see her."
"St Mungo's," Severus said. He examined Nymphadora carefully and narrowed his eyes at her. "What do you know of her injury?"
"I know it was horrible," Nymphadora said quietly. "She... she got cursed, badly," she said. "She was bleeding to death, I- there was nothing else to do, Sev, please, believe me. She was going to- to-"
Severus held his hand up to get her to pause in her halting explanation and summoned a calming drought. "Drink this and then explain," he said. "Miss Lovegood was not speaking when I arrived, and Poppy has no idea what happened."
Nymphadora nodded and accepted the drought. She took a small sip of it and her shoulders slumped slightly as it relaxed her.
"I found Luna in an alley," she said. "She was crying, said Susan was dying. And Susan was. She was bleeding from a cut on her arm, a cut that wouldn't heal. It reeked like dark magic. Cold, icy, you know?"
Severus resisted the urge to close his eyes as shame washed over him. He knew of only one dark curse that caused cuts that could not be healed in the traditional manner. It was a curse he shared freely with his allies when they were together on the side of the Dark Lord.
"Go on," Severus said gently. "Then what happened?"
"I... I had to amputate," Nymphadora said. Her eyes were wet, but tears seemed to be held at bay by her stubborn will alone. "There was nothing else to do in the moment to keep her alive. I amputated and cauterized the wound and told Luna to get her back to the castle."
"You did it precisely right," Severus told her. He put his hand softly on the curve of her shoulder and guided her to bed ten. "Are you injured?"
"No."
"Rest then," Severus said. He saw the guilt in Nymphadora's eyes, the guilt that plagued the survivors of battles littered with loss. "You kept her from dying in that alley, Nymphadora," he told her. "If she sees the sun rise tomorrow, it will only be due to your efforts."
"I need to go find Amelia," Nymphadora said, stubbornly refusing to sit on the bed Severus pushed her to. "I need to check on Susan, write up a report, find—"
"Rest," Severus told her firmly. "I have sent Amelia a message, when she is prepared to receive us, I will retrieve you. Rest, you stubborn witch."
Nymphadora sent an uncertain look around the room, her eyes lingering on various students. "Where's Harry?" she asked instead. "And Luna?"
"Bed one," Severus said.
"Good," Nymphadora sighed. She frowned then, her eyes suddenly pitying. "I'm sorry about Barty," she whispered. She reached up and placed her fingers softly on Severus' hand. "I took him to Spinner's End. Mavis is... Mavis is taking care of him until you can make decisions."
Severus swallowed back the grief that threatened to overwhelm him with every mention of Barty and nodded gratefully. Nymphadora was standing in front of the bed so he simply pushed her down on to it. "Rest," he said once more. "I will find you when I hear from Amelia."
Severus then spelled her curtains closed before she could fight him again.
After an hour of work, Severus did a quick count of the students and was satisfied that Potter's entire entourage was accounted for. Severus's eyes flicked over the students, attempting to find the one least injured, and found Ronald Weasley sitting beside Draco's bed and talking quietly with him.
"Ronald," Severus said as he approached. "What happened tonight? Start at the beginning."
Ronald and Draco shared a quick look before Ronald nodded and turned to Severus.
"We wanted to celebrate OWLS," Ronald said. "We snuck out to Hogsmeade to get a drink."
Of course they did.
Severus had seen Bones and Potter before he left the castle, arm in arm with eyes full of mischief and secrets as they skilled together. He knew then that they would be plotting a way to celebrate the end of their exams. A drink in Hogsmeade was innocent enough, a foolish tradition many students stuck to every year. Though, how that ended in a full blown battle, Severus had no idea.
"What happened next?" Severus asked the boys.
"I heard a bunch of pops, like a whole group apparating," Ronald said. "Harry and Theo went to check it out—"
"When they got back they said it was Death Eaters," Draco cut in. "Harry... he- he tried to think of a way to hide us, but he couldn't. He sent a message to everyone, but they were closing in on us."
"We couldn't stay where we were," Ronald said quickly, needlessly rushing to defend their actions. "We would have been sitting ducks in that alley, and Harry knew it. He told us to stay together, get to the castle if we could—"
"Aim to kill," Draco added with a small smirk.
"—and that we were going to have to fight," Ronald said, nodding his head at Draco. "And then... then all hell broke loose, sir."
"Harry did not know the death eaters would be there?" Severus asked.
"Of course not," Draco said hotly. "He never would have purposefully led us in to a fight like that."
Severus raised his brow, indicating his disbelief at that statement.
"Not with Luna with us," Ronald amended his friend. "Harry was just as surprised as we were. He tried to get Susan to take Luna and Trent to the castle, but she wouldn't listen. Is she..." Ronald looked around quickly and seemed to count his friends and siblings. "Are they here, sir? Harry, Susan, and Luna?"
"Harry and Lovegood are resting," Severus told them, suddenly weary to his bones. They were children for God's sake, only children. "Miss Bones is at St Mungo's."
The boys both blanched and shared another look.
"She's hurt bad then," Draco said in a trembling voice, "or she'd be here, right?"
"I will update you when I know more," Severus told him, as much of a confirmation as he could give. "Rest now."
Severus saw that Poppy had patched up the patients he had triaged, most of them resting comfortably then. His help not immediately required at present, Severus returned to the first bed, slipping between the curtains silently.
"I told you to rest," Severus sighed as Potter and Lovegood both immediately looked up at him. Lovegood was curled up against Potter's chest, and Potter had his arms wrapped protectively around her. They were both still awake, despite the late hour and the stark bruises beneath their eyes.
"They won't talk and they won't let anyone heal them," Black said dully from his seat beside the bed. "Harry asked for Susan and hasn't said a thing since I told him we don't know anything yet."
"I have not heard from Amelia yet," Severus told the eerily quiet duo. "It is not necessarily a bad sign," he said hastily as Lovegood's silver eyes filled with tears. "It simply means that your Susan is not ready for visitors."
Severus slowly raised his wand, attempting to keep from startling them further. "I am going to cast a diagnostic charm on you both," he said with as much gentleness in his tone as he could muster.
He knew they were not being purposefully insubordinate, but they needed healing.
Lovegood closed her eyes and burrowed her face in to Potter's chest. Potter tilted his head down until his face was hidden in Lovegood's hair.
"Might as well just do it Snape," Black said in the same lifeless tone. "Want some help?"
"Not from you," Severus scoffed as he cast a diagnostic on both children. "Where did Lupin run off to?"
"One of his friends got hurt," Black said. "He had to get back to the house and heal her, she wouldn't go to St Mungo's."
Severus hummed carelessly as he looked over the parchments that appeared before him.
Lovegood had minimal bruising and abrasions, somehow skimming through a bloody battle relatively (physically) unscathed. Severus had the disturbing realization that the blood soaking her clothes and matting her hair must have been from Bones.
Potter...
"Harry, are you bleeding?!" Severus tossed the parchments to Black as he pried Lovegood from Potter's arms and turned the struggling child to his back.
"You imbecile," he snarled as he vanished Potter's top and saw a grievously deep gash from his left collarbone to his sternum. "Why would you not tell me so I could heal this immediately?" he muttered angrily. "Idiot."
"That's enough, Snape," Black said coolly. He grabbed Potter's arms and held them above his head while Potter attempted to kick Severus away. "You can see he's messed up, just heal him and lay off."
Severus inhaled sharply, both irritated and ashamed at Black's chastisement. He of all people knew of Potter's utter lack of self-preservation. It was entirely in character for Potter to bleed to death, or risk a fatal infection, while he awaited news of his closest friend.
"Kick me again and I will stun you," Severus warned his child as the brat glared hatefully at him. "You are not allowed to die because you are upset. Lay still and allow me to heal you."
Potter's face perfectly conveyed his intentions to fight Severus tooth and nail. Then a small and pale hand, a hand crusted over with dried blood that made Severus' stomach clench, stroked Potter's cheek and he softened immediately.
Severus took the opportunity Lovegood gave him to heal Potter, sealing the cut closed and cleaning the blood off him.
"How did you break your leg?" Severus asked him as he turned away from the new scar on his child and focused on the other pertinent injury. As Potter remained silent through Severus' ministrations, he mused aloud in the hopes of garnering a response. "A gift from one of your admirers? Or... repayment for a gunshot wound perhaps?"
Black chuckled a little, though Potter and Lovegood remained stonily silent. Severus sighed as he finished healing Potter and waved his wand over both children, cleaning them the best he could with a spell.
There was no spell to treat mental anguish and emotional trauma. Severus knew Potter as well as he knew himself: Potter would not leave his catatonic-like and frozen state until he had news on Bones. Severus could spell a dreamless sleep in to the child, but he found he could not bring himself to do so.
Potter wanted an update on his friend, and Severus had always catered to his whims in the past, why end the tradition now?
"Stay with them," he told Black. "I am going to see if Poppy can spare me long enough to go ask St Mungo's for an update. Perhaps I can mention Potter and get someone to break confidentiality."
"I can go," Black offered. "You can sit here with them if you want. It's been a shit day, you're probably tired."
Severus curled his lip at Black's attempt to coddle him. "I will go," he said shortly. "You stay with them."
"Whatever Snape," Black sighed as he released Potter. Lovegood immediately resumed her previous position in Potter's arms. "Just go then, hurry back, will you?"
Severus placed a gentle hand on the crown of Potter's head for a moment before he slipped out of the curtains as quietly as he had entered them. He found Poppy beside Longbottom's bed, alongside a grave-faced William and Delacour, and joined their group.
"How is he?" he asked.
"He's going to need nerve replenishers for quite some time," Poppy said weakly. "And... Merlin only knows how he's going to be emotionally, mentally he's fine though. No... no lasting damage. Not like…" Poppy shook her head with a stifled sob, not needing to continue for Severus to understand.
Longbottom would live, he would survive. Longbottom would not share a room with his parents.
There was no word to describe the atrocity that it was to curse Longbottom with the same spell that permanently incapacitated Frank and Alice.
Unforgivable indeed.
"I need to go check on Miss Bones," Severus murmured to Poppy. "I will return shortly. May I use your floo?"
"Go," Poppy waved him off. "I'm going to put Fleur and Bill to work here. Everyone needs a hot meal and dreamless sleep."
"See if you can convince Harry and Luna to eat," Severus said to Delacour. Delacour was one of Potter's closest friends last year and she had a gentle yet firm presence, perhaps he would respond to her. "They are uninjured physically."
"Certainly," Delacour said. She pulled her hair back in a messy bun that did nothing to detract from her looks. "Bill will go get ze soup."
"On it," William said. "Let us know about Susan, alright, mate?"
Severus lifted his hand in silent agreement.
Merlin he truly was exhausted. He checked the time before stepping in to the floo and was startled to see that it was already approaching two in the morning.
Eight hours ago Severus' worst concern was making conversation with Nymphadora on the first date he had been on in nearly twenty years. And suddenly he was flooing to the wizarding hospital to check on a young girl, Potter's closest friend, who was fighting to survive.
'Weary' did not begin to describe Severus' state of mind.
And he feared it was only the beginning.
Severus drew himself up smartly as he stepped out of the floo at St Mungo's and approached the information desk. He glanced at the sign and attempted to appear to have more knowledge on the situation than he truly did.
"Good evening," Severus said cordially to the young wizard seated at the desk. "I am here to see Madame Amelia Bones on a matter of immediate importance. Her niece Susan Bones is a patient on your fourth floor."
Severus hoped.
The fourth floor was for spell damage.
The basement held the morgue.
"Are you family?" the young man with the name tag 'Kirby' asked suspiciously.
"I am not," Severus said. "Not in the traditional sense. My ward, Harry Potter, sent me to check on his beloved cousin. He is quite worried about her and would like an update on her condition."
Severus would hardly feel remorse for blatantly utilizing Potter's fame in the situation. If Potter were not nearly catatonic at the moment, he would undoubtedly be there shoving his scar in every employee's face until they gave him access to Bones.
"She's Harry Potter's cousin?" 'Kirby' asked.
"Yes," Severus lied. Truthfully, most pureblood lines were interconnected at some point in the past. It was not a stretch for the Bones and Potter lines to have intermixed somewhere in the past. And, if it helped Severus gain access to Bones, then it was a half-lie worth telling.
"Let me look," the young man said. He rifled through a stack of parchments quickly before looking back up at Severus and sliding him a visitor's badge. "Fourth floor, room 407. She just got out of an operation."
"Thank you," Severus said briskly as he quickly left for the lift. If Bones' had an operation, it meant there was a chance. A hope for the loyal girl whose arm was cursed off in a filthy alleyway in front of a wisp of another teenage girl.
Children. They were all only children.
Severus hesitated when he stepped off the lift. He could hardly go barreling in to Bones' room, yet he had not gone that far to turn back empty-handed. He slowly stepped up to the oak door with the gold plate marking it as '407' and slowly turned the knob.
"Severus?" Amelia was inside the room, wan and miserable, slumped on a small sofa placed beside the bed.
It was bed that Miss Bones lay in. She had a mask forcing continuous air in to her lungs hooked to her face, and her right arm was gone.
Not to the elbow, as Nymphadora said she had amputated to, but clear to the shoulder.
Her chest was moving, though the movement was so weak, it did nothing to reassure Severus of a speedy recovery.
"I apologize for introducing," Severus said quietly, regret for the necessary excursion coursing through him. "How is she?"
"Not - not good," Amelia said with a quick sniffle and a swipe beneath her eyes. "You can come in, sit if you'd like."
Severus would very much not like.
Yet here he was.
"Someone cut her arm off," Amelia said as soon as Severus sat. She had consistent tears silently pouring from her eyes as she stared at her niece and explained quietly to Severus.
"They cut it off at the elbow, cauterized the wound. A field amputation, apparently. But... but there was an infection in her bloodstream, and..." Amelia swallowed a gulp of air as she visibly steeled herself. "They had to take the rest of it, her whole arm. Gone, Severus."
Amelia turned to Severus and stared at him with heartbreak written clearly across her face. "She- she's in bad shape. Blood poisoning, infection, sepsis, shock... They... they said she might not make it through the night."
It was an involuntary twitch, Severus merely moved his arms the slightest amount, and suddenly found himself with an armful of a sobbing woman.
"I can't lose her," she cried through the sobs as Severus gently rubbed a circle on her back.
Clearly, he should have sent Black.
"Susan is a force," Severus told her quietly. "She is an absolute terror, Amelia, and terrors do not give in easily."
Amelia hiccuped a short laugh, though Severus could feel her tears continuing to soak through his shirt. "She's- she's just a girl," Amelia said. "And now she's dy-dy—"
"No," Severus interrupted her terrified cries firmly. "Do not say that, Amelia. Susan will be fight, as she always does, and she will return to you. What deity would dare take a girl such as her? She would spit in the reaper's face and find a way back to you."
Amelia let out another wet chuckle before breathing deeply for a few quiet moments and then she sat back up and grimaced. "I'm sorry, Severus, I've ruined your nice shirt."
Severus glanced down at his top and resisted the urge to grimace himself at the snot and tears rubbed in his shirt.
"Think nothing of it," he said politely. Severus summoned the box of tissues on the table on the opposite side of Bones' bed and handed them to Amelia. "Perhaps if Potter is ever in the hospital again, I can ruin your blouse and we can consider ourselves even."
"Deal," Amelia said with a forced smile that she thankfully dropped quickly. She wiped her face off, Severus politely looked away as she blew her nose. "How is he? Harry?" she asked.
"Physically fine," Severus said truthfully. "Quite anxious about Susan."
"I'm sure," Amelia said, her eyes drifting once more to Bones' still form. "And the others? Were there any casualties?"
"Bellatrix Lestrange," Severus told her, leaving Barty out of it at the moment. Surely there were witnesses to his arrival, though as those witnesses were either Death Eaters or tied to Potter, it was unlikely that his death would be reported.
Above all, despite Severus' grief at his own loss, he had to keep Potter safe. And hiding the fact that Barty had been hiding in his home with Potter for the last year was crucial to keeping Potter safe.
"Good," Amelia snarled, her face twisting with genuine hate. "They revived Susan when we arrived, she could barely talk, but she said it was Bellatrix that cursed her. Who killed her?"
Severus studied Amelia carefully, weighing the likelihood of this careful confession working out in his ward's favor. It was callous, to be debating the best way to manipulate a woman in such a vulnerable state, but it was war and Potter had to be protected.
"Potter," Severus said quietly. "I was not there, but he is the only one who would have shot Bellatrix."
"Shot?" Amelia sucked her lips in at the corners at that. "With a gun, right? The muggle weapon?"
"I presume it is preferable to an unforgivable?" Severus asked wryly.
"Makes my job easier, anyway," Amelia said. "I'm not charging him, I don't care whose arse I need to kiss, but Harry did the public a service in my opinion. What did Albus do?"
"Pardon?" Severus blinked at Amelia. He had actually quite forgotten Albus until her question. "Albus?"
"When I got there, you, Sirius, and Remus all had your wands drawn on him. Harry had that gun aimed at him, and Albus had his wand pointed at Harry. So... what did Albus do?"
Damn.
Severus had backed himself in a corner with his impulsive actions in Hogsmeade.
On the one hand, Albus would be a wanted fugitive for the remainder of his life for casting the killing curse. Especially for casting the killing curse at the most beloved child in their world. Harry Potter was a household name. He was cherished and revered. Albus would be crucified for his act.
And in that same vein…
Severus cast the same curse at Albus. Not a stunning spell, not a spell to incapacitate him. No, he knew Albus aimed to kill and Severus did as well.
Albus may shout all he wanted about possession and Voldemort, but in the end, they both committed a crime that carried a life sentence in Azkaban.
Severus could not protect Potter if he had to flee law enforcement, it was not possible.
"It was a heated moment," Severus said carefully. "Everything was happening quite quickly, I hardly recall it."
Amelia tsk'd disapprovingly and shook her head at Severus. "I thought we were friends, Severus."
"We are," Severus said, internally bemused at her statement. "Though your official title complicates our friendship at times, does it not?"
Amelia reached over abruptly and grasped Severus' hand tightly. "I'm off work now, this is between us. Now, what happened with Albus?"
Severus glanced around and nodded. He waved his wand in his free hand to place a silencing charm around them. He took a deep breath, then told Amelia all that he knew.
It began with his date, then Harry's message and Severus's arrival at Hogsmeade. He told her Ronald's explanation of the children's actions prior to his arrival. Severus told her about the death eaters he took down, the ones he saw flee. He told her how the Dark Lord possessed Potter and how Albus decided that Severus' son was a reasonable loss to end the Dark Lord.
Finally, he told Amelia of his immediate and thoughtless retaliation.
As much as it hurt to exclude Barty and his acts of brilliance and bravery, Severus did edit out Barty's involvement. Friends or not, Barty was a private matter.
"Damnit, Severus," Amelia sighed when Severus sagged with relief from sharing the entire torrid tale. "Do you think Albus will report you?"
"I doubt it," Severus said after careful consideration. "He would be opening himself for the same report in that case."
Amelia hummed thoughtfully as she stared over at Sudan. "And you're in the same boat if you say he tried to kill Harry."
"Precisely."
"Will Sirius and Remus stick to a cover story?" Amelia asked. "If you tell them the situation."
"I am unsure," Severus frowned. "We have never cared much for one another."
Amelia inexplicably chuckled and squeezed Severus' hand. "You put yourself down quite a bit Severus. You're a good man who acted to protect Sirius' godson. Surely he can do you this favor, for Harry."
"I will ask him," Severus scowled.
"Do that." Amelia let go of Severus's hand and covered a yawn. "Go back to the castle and do that first, then - then send Harry here. Will you? She'll want him if - if… when she wakes, she'll want him."
"I will." Severus stood at the dismissal and studied Amelia with concern. "Is there anything I can do for you, Amelia?"
"No." Amelia smiled sadly and looked towards her niece. "Just... just send Harry. Oh, and Luna too, if you wouldn't mind. She was terribly upset when I took Susan from her. She's a sweet girl, a good friend."
"She is," Severus agreed. His eyes flicked towards Bones once more as his heart clenched painfully. "As is Susan."
"She is," Amelia agreed then with a trembling smile. "Go talk to Sirius, quickly. If he gives you any shit, tell him I'm willing to tell the Prophet about a certain night in the Shrieking Shack if he doesn't agree."
Severus quirked a brow at Amelia and a smirk played around on his lips at the opportunity to learn something sordid about Black. "Oh? What night was this?"
A hint of Amelia's typical good cheer returned to her eyes for a moment as she looked up at Severus. "The night Sirius realized he was gay," she said with a small grin. "Imagine taking your girlfriend on a romantic trip to a haunted house only to end the night crying about your painful attraction to your best mate. It was quite insulting as a teenage girl to find out your boyfriend was very obviously not attracted to you."
Severus let out a startled laugh at Amelia's description. "I shall have to take your word for it," he said, moving for the doorway.
"Well I don't think Tonks has to worry about that anyway, huh, Severus?"
"I'll send Harry and Lovegood shortly." Severus rolled his eyes as he walked out of the room to Amelia's quiet snicker of amusement.
Merlin.
He never would have asked Nymphadora to dinner had he known that it would involve being 'teased' by the most recent person to declare themselves to be his friend.
Hufflepuffs truly were strange creatures.
When Severus arrived back at Poppy's office, Minerva was waiting for him.
"How is Susan?" she asked immediately.
"Not good, Minerva," Severus said gently, considerate to Minerva's attachment to Bones.
Minerva truly always had carried a soft spot for the mischief makers. A callback to her own youth, Severus was certain of it.
"Poppy said... she said Tonks had to amputate?" Minerva asked tightly.
"She did," Severus said. "Bones is quite weak and in poor health. They do not have a hopeful prognosis."
Minerva nodded absently, unsurprised at Severus' bleakly spoken words. "The minister and Kingsley are in my office," she said. "They wish to speak with you, get a report of what happened tonight."
"Who have they spoken with so far?" Severus asked sharply, fear seizing him for a moment.
"No one." Minerva drew herself up to full height and looked truly formidable. "I forbade anyone who is not family from entering the hospital wing. I told them you were with Harry, they are waiting patiently."
"Thank you," Severus said genuinely. "If you would stall them for a few moments longer, Amelia would like Harry and Lovegood to be with Susan."
"Certainly." Minerva dabbed at her eyes with the handkerchief clutched tightly in her hand. "I will meet you in my office in ten minutes."
Severus inclined his head in agreement and went to complete the most distasteful task ever asked of him: asking Black and Lupin for a favor.
Black, in the greatest shock of Severus's life, was graceful about it in a way Severus certainly would not have been if the roles were reversed.
"Tell me what to say and I'll say it. So will Moony," he whispered beside Potter and Lovegood's bed. "I don't want you in Azkaban, Snape, Harry needs you."
"I-" Severus clenched his hand in a fist for a moment behind his back, "Thank you," he said stiffly. "I will speak with you after I speak with the Minister then?"
"Works for me," Black said easily. "Want me to take these two to St Mungo's?"
Severus looked pitifully at his ward and his greatest pupil yet. They had quite obviously not eaten, slept, or even moved since he left. He sighed and nodded.
"Harry, Luna, go with Black," Severus said clearly, catching their attention. "Go be with your Susan. I will join you when I can."
"Yes, sir," Lovegood whispered so quietly Severus read her lips more than he heard her. "Come on, Harry. Susan needs us."
Lovegood sat up and pulled Potter to a seated position. Potter blinked, a spark of life returning to his dull eyes. "Sue?" he croaked. He looked up at Severus fearfully. "Alive?"
"Go," Severus said cowardly. He did not want to be the one to inform the children of Bones' poor prognosis. "I will join you shortly."
Potter nodded, wobbling slightly and allowing Black to assist him as he stood. He grasped Luna's hand and followed behind her as she led him to Poppy's office.
Severus watched them go, his heart breaking at the sight. Maybe it was the cumulative stress of the last twelve hours. It could have been exhaustion from switching between fierce duels and equally fierce healing. Or possibly it was the knowledge that Potter would likely lose his friend within the next twenty four hours. Whatever the reason, Severus's emotions were swelling inside him and threatening to overwhelm him.
Once Potter disappeared behind Poppy's office door, Severus cleared his mind and inhaled through his nose slowly.
He counted to ten and prayed that Susan Bones would recover.
He exhaled from his mouth, slowing the air down purposefully.
Then he squared his shoulders and swept briskly out of the hospital wing of sleeping patients. He had an audience awaiting his story of half-truths and blatant lies.