A new professor at Hogwarts: a Severus Snape story

The last mission

I opened my eyes and it took me a while before I could understand where I was, and why. I was waking up at the Hospital Wing. My memory was blurred, but I could remember arriving at Dumbledore's office very weak, having been carried by Remus for the last hundred meters, up from the school corridors to the circular room, and I could not recall more than a few seconds after entering there.

The cut in my left arm was carefully wrapped in bandages that circled it all the way around.

Madam Pomfrey bustled into the room. 'You're awake! Oh, darling, for heaven's sake, you gave us a fright last night!'

'Good Morning, Madam Pomfrey. Last night? Oh, good. I was afraid I had been here for too long. I have classes tomorrow, see. Thank you for this' I pointed at the hidden cut.

'Oh, dear, I did nothing of that. It was all Severus. You should've seen it... I had never seen him worried like that. But he is a resourceful wizard, he is... identified the venom and the antidote incantations straight away, and didn't rest until he made sure you were alright. I don't think he left your side until dawn! Ah, if it wasn't for him... oh, but let's not talk about that now. I'll bring you breakfast, and you should be free to leave by noon. You will need bandage change daily for a couple of weeks, though. That kind of wound can't be easily healed by magic, see'.

After a while she brought me a full breakfast tray, that I ate in silence. One single thought reverberating in my mind. Not only does he already own my heart, but I also own that man my life now. Great, Jane. You should win a prize called The Most At-His-Feet Witch.

...

Remus and Albus came to see me during the morning, both looking worried-sick but also relieved to see me well-recovered.

After lunch, I went back to my chambers, took a warm bath and lighted the grate in the mantelpiece. My head was still spinning. Midafternoon, the knock on the door I was longing to hear reached my ears. 'Come in'. Snape opened it and stepped inside, his face uneasy. He had barely closed the door behind him and I had already run and thrown my arms around him. My face hidden in his neck, I tried my best not to start sobbing. After a moment of hesitation, he wrapped my waist in his arms too.

'I went to see you in the Hospital Wing and I was told you had already left' he let go of me, and I could tell he was trying not to be too emotive, his voice was grave 'but that's a good sign. The fact that you woke up so soon means the venom didn't penetrate too deep. You should recover completely until the end of the month'.

'T-thank you. Madam Pomfrey told me what you did for me' he widened his eyes, embarrassed 'I was very lucky to have you around, Severus'.

The last words seemed to poke a hidden rage inside him.

'I told you you shouldn't have got involved in this rescue missions... What if I was not around? It's unreasonable that you should risk yourself for a bunch of magical objects, honestly...'

'Oh, drop it' I smiled and rested my head on his chest. He didn't step away, but also didn't relax his body. After a few seconds, he continued, his voice stern again 'I came to change your arm's bandages'.

I suddenly felt very embarrassed. I though he had come to check on me and I was acting like a love fool, when he was actually there for another reason.

'Thank you, but I can change them myself, really...'

'No, you can't. I'm also here to explain this to you. The dagger was imbued with Lamya venom. You were fortunate that it wasn't more than a superficial injury. There's no drinking antidote for this creature's poison, it can be only treated by an ancient incantation which, luckily, I know how to perform. It has to be repeated every day, until its completely mended'.