The Werewolf's Child

Christmas Eve Part Two

The decrepit cottage burned to the ground. The Death Eaters gathered in a tattered group at the edge of the woods. They watched as the Muggle firefighters struggled unsuccessfully to quench the flames that leapt into the starry sky, throwing sparks into the blackness above. Their faces were coated with soot, their clothes singed, their eyes red with smoke. Peter was wailing and holding his hand to his eyes. Alecto was wheezing horribly.

Sev's hands were singed and reddened from the heat and he could smell the burnt hairs on the back of his arms. His face felt hot and tender, as if he had a very bad sunburn. He could feel the smoke deep in his lungs. He was kneeling with Voldemort in the snow, holding his lit wand aloft while the Dark Lord examined Nagini closely.

The snake had come out of the conflagration the worse for wear. There were several burned places on her scales. She was coiled tightly around them, not allowing Voldemort to examine them properly. As the Dark Lord attempted to gently uncoil her, to get a better look at how badly she was damaged, she hissed at him, but it came out as more of a wheeze.

"Nagini my pet," Voldemort said in a soft, sibilant tone. It was oddly disconcerting to hear the solicitousness in his voice. "Let me just see, my pet, see how bad it is. There, there, just let me look." He scratched Nagini's head and she rubbed against his finger, and allowed him to gently uncoil her, so they could see the areas where the scales were burned and blackened. In spots they almost looked as though they had melted together.

"Do something!" commanded Voldemort, a gruff, desperate note coming into his voice. "Heal her!" Voldemort's red eyes glowed weirdly in his blackened face. His robes were badly singed. Sev couldn't tell if he had any actual injuries, all his attention and concern seemed to be for his snake.

Sev had no idea if a normal human healing spell would work on a reptile, but he figured he may as well give it a go. "Consanguo!" he murmured, pointing his wand, "Reparro! Integro!" The scales looked less black and charred, the melty looking places less damaged. Nagini shuddered and hissed at Sev. Merlin, he hated that fucking snake.

"Not good enough, Severus," Voldemort hissed, continuing to stroke Nagini's head. "Nagini....cannot die."

"My Lord, I have potions, back at my office, tincture of Dittany, a salve for wounds...." He heard Alecto cough, and gasp for breath. Her wheezing was growing louder. "The others are injured as well....."

"They can go to St. Mungo's," said Voldemort sharply.

"Are you sure that would be the best plan master?" said Bellatrix, coming up to join them. She had a gash over one eye that was bleeding heavily.

"I.... why not?" said Voldemort, his attention still on the snake.

"Bellatrix is right, master," said Sev, as he bent down to get a closer look at Nagini, and was rewarded with another fierce, wheezing hiss. "It would be in our best interest to keep the events of tonight as quiet as possible."

"We don't want anyone to know that Potter slipped through our fingers," said Bellatrix, backing away from the snake.

"Potter!" said Voldemort, spitting the name out like a curse. "How ....how did he...?" Voldemort stood from where he had been crouching in the snow, then staggered, and nearly fell. "I.... I'm not well," he said, putting a hand to his forehead and swaying slightly. Bellatrix caught him by the arm, eagerly, but he shook her off.

"Severus, go and fetch.......whatever potions you can gather........" Voldemort rasped. He sounded short of breath, as if he'd gotten a big dose of smoke. "Bellatrix.... take the remainder of the group to Malfoy Manor. Tend to their injuries there as best you can. Nagini and I shall retire to my retreat in Little Hangleton. Severus, you can meet us there with......the medicines."