Knowledge is Power

Chapter 32

//Prof! PA-ROF! PROF, come on wake up! I'm dying here!//
Severus squeezed his eyes shut and curled one arm protectively around his throbbing head.
"If you don't shut up I'll speed up the process for you," Severus growled.

//I could be cowed or offended, but how productive would that shit be, right? You're only being shitty because you are suffering as much as I am...SO, reason dictates that you get the fuck up and get us some sort of anti-hangover potion so we can feel better, please...Um...You do have anti-hangover potions right,// Nightshade asked almost desperately.

"OR we could simply go back to sleep and hope we never wake or that we eventually wake feeling better," Severus suggested, not moving.
Nightshade hesitated for a long moment then asked, //So are you saying that anti hangover potions don't exist or that you don't have any made up?//

"I'm saying I never need them so of course I have none made up," Severus answered, putting a bloody end to Nightshade's hope of instant hangover relief.
"Just go back to sleep," Severus told the owl in an exasperated tone.

//Dude, don't you think if I could do that I would have and not bothered waking you up?//
"Well try harder," Severus said, planning to return to sleep himself because being awake was quite painful at present.
Unfortunately that didn't happen. Instead he lay in bed feeling utterly miserable for an hour before he gave up on sleep. When he sat up pain jackknifed through his head and he groaned.
//Yep. Been feeling that for an hour and a fucking half,// Nightshade commented unsympathetically.

Severus staggered across the room and filled two cups with water.
"Perhaps if we hydrate. I do have potions for a headache. I'll just get those."
He and Nightshade drank their water then he gave them both a spoon from his large bottle of pain killer elixir. They'd slept through breakfast and by the time they were in any condition to leave Severus's chambers it was time for lunch.

As the Christmas holiday wasn't over yet there was only a smattering of people in the Great Hall. Ignoring the few students scattered at their house tables, Severus slumped into his seat at the staff table.
"Are you unwell, Severus," Albus asked and Severus cringed.
The headmaster wore a Christmas sweater so bright it nearly hurt his eyes.
"Don't feel good," he mumbled.

"Madam Pomfrey is still here as you know. Why don't you stop by the hospital wing after you eat," Albus suggested, giving Severus a look of open concern.
Nightshade tentatively tore a peace of roast from the hunk on Severus's plate.
//I hope food doesn't make me puke,// the owl thought shakily.
//You and me both,// Severus agreed, eyeing the plate dubiously.
He knew food should settle his stomach, but he hated throwing up so hoped it worked.

"It's just a bit of a hangover," Severus assured the headmaster, poking at a wedge of roasted potato with his fork before slowly putting it into his mouth.
"I accidentally ended up at a Christmas party last night."
"Well!"
Albus gave a surprised smile.
"Did you have a nice time, then? You don't get out nearly enough, you know."

He didn't get out enough because people...But as he'd told Albus this more than once before, he didn't bother to waste his few resources by doing so again. Today it was all he could do to sit nearly upright, after all. Instead he just shrugged.
"It was fine."
He offered no more on the situation and though he could see that Albus was curious, he didn't press for more information. Minerva came in then and Severus turned pointedly to his food, not wanting the transfigurations professor hearing his personal business. Of course he didn't want most people hearing his personal business.

He and Nightshade got through the meal without throwing up and both man and owl felt mildly better for getting some food into them. As he headed back down to the dungeons, Severus finally felt well enough to allow his mind to play over the events of the past night. Seeing Heather and Raislen had been oddly surreal, but just as oddly, normal as well. Nearly as if they'd not missed a beat from the old days at Hogwarts when they'd called him kid and defended him from the Gryffindor Gang of Gits.