Forever Yours

25. Gone

"No," Jo argued.  "You're not dying."  She buried her face in her hands.  

Chad held her close.  He knew that it was true, but he didn't say anything.

"I can feel it," Lucy told her.  

Severus stooped down and gathered Lucy up in his arms.  "Not if I can help it."  He gazed down at her and held onto her tightly.  He turned to her friends.  "We have to get her to Hogwarts.  Once I'm there I can make a strong healing potion that will counteract the poison she has ingested."

"Poison?" Jo asked.  "What are you talking about?"

"There's no time to explain," he said urgently.  "We have to go now."

She started to protest again, but Chad stopped her.  "I'll explain along the way."

They all disapparated and by the time they arrived at Hogwarts and was inside the castle, Jo was up to speed on all that Chad knew.  A worried expression crossed her countenance.

"Do you think she's going to be okay?" Jo asked.

All Chad could do was shrug.  "Only time will tell.  Plus, Severus had better know exactly what he's doing with that healing potion.  He will have to know the exact ingredients of the poison to counteract it.  I don't know how he's going to pull it off, but he doesn't seem too worried."

Severus could hear all they were saying.  With Lucy securely in his arms, he was just in front of them, but he chose to ignore them.  He refused to believe that the woman he loved was going to die.  It wasn't possible.  He wouldn't let it happen.  He couldn't.  It didn't matter if they trusted him or not.  Lucy trusted him and that was all that mattered.

Dumbledore met them at the entrance, a quizzical look on his face.  

"I need Madame Pomfrey," Severus said immediately.  His voice was calm and steady, but this was killing him on the inside.

"She is in the Dungeons.  She told me to tell you when you arrived.  She was going to start the healing draft."  Albus studied him carefully.  "Are you going to be okay, Severus?"

He avoided the old man's twinkling blue eyes.  "It's too soon to tell."  He walked on past him and on inside.

Chad and Jo tried to follow, but Dumbledore stepped in their path, a smile on his face.

"I think it best I know what's going on before I allow you to go inside."

Jo glared at him, her eyes full of tears.  "I don't want to lose her.  Please let us go inside."

"I'm afraid I can't.  Besides, Severus works best when he's alone."

She sighed and turned to Chad.  She laid her head on his chest and began to sob.

"I only have just a few questions," Dumbledore promised.  "Then I will take you straight to her."

Chad held Jo tightly.  He began to tell him everything he knew, including what Lucy had told him.

"And Adam Winston?" Albus inquired.

Chad shrugged.  "As far as I know he's still alive."

"It's as I feared."

"I couldn't kill him."

"I don't blame you, Mr. Rose.  I am simple stating that I was afraid he would still be alive."

Dumbledore finally stepped aside.  Chad guided Jo in the giant double door and Albus trailed in behind them.  He followed the two of them down into the Dungeons where Lucy was lying on a pillow and a few of the tables in the Potions room that were pulled together to make a bed.  Madame Pomfrey was tending to her, and Severus was in full concentration over the bubbling cauldron a table away.