Forever and Always Yours, SS [Book 3]

Chapter 95

Amilia and Severus stepped into the hospital wing. There was a crowd surrounding one of the beds. Naturally, neither of them was surprised when they saw Harry Potter there, but both were pleasantly surprised when he was not the one lying on the bed.

"Ah, Severus, Amilia, what brings you here?" Dumbledore glanced at them.

Amilia looked down at the sleeping form in her arms, "We needed to pick up Jordan. What happened?"

"It appears that Ronald Weasley has been poisoned."

"What?" Severus and Amilia said together before creeping forward.

"Tell us what happened again, Harry."

The boy paled a little under the eyes of the adults, but he recounted the tale of what led to Ron's poisoning.

"A love potion?" Amilia said darkly, "Headmaster, something must be done about that."

"It seems...that Ron has been under its affects for some time." Poppy said quietly before raising her eyes to Amilia.

Amilia held her daughter tighter, "I will happily lead a lecture in the Great Hall about the affects of love potions and how it is dangerous for everyone involved."

Dumbledore turned to look at her, "I will take that into consideration. However," He returned his gaze to the bed, "that does not explain how he was poisoned."

"I believe it was the mead, Headmaster." Professor Slughorn said forlornly.

"The mead?"

Slughorn nodded and produced the bottle.

"Ah, this is a wonderful vintage," Dumbledore examined the bottle, "and yet I detect a hint of licorice and cherry, one that does not come with this drink but are good in the use of covering up the scent and taste of poison." He handed the bottle to Severus.

Severus stared at the bottle, recognizing it as a mead often consumed at the Malfoy's dinners. He sniffed it before asking, "Do you want me to test it for which type of poison?"

"Yes, I think that would be wise." Dumbledore said before looking at Slughorn, "How did you come into possession of this mead?"

"It was given to me as a gift."

"From who?"

"I do not know, Headmaster, it was on my desk one morning. I had intended to regift it myself."

"And who was the intended recipient?"

"You, Headmaster." Slughorn hung his head. "I froze. I did not know what to do in the moment."

"Well," Dumbledore started, "it is a good think that you had Harry there, you have taught him well Horace."

The double doors to the hospital wing flung open, and a blur of colors and double braids rushed in. Severus grabbed Amilia's arm, pulling her out of the way in time.

"Is he alright!? Is my Ron alright!?"

Severus watched Amilia roll her eyes as she watched the scene before her unfold, the bickering between Lavender and Hermione.

Ron, on the bed, started to mumble something. Severus watched earnestly, he did not know how much poison the boy consumed, but he was still surprised to see him gaining consciousness this soon.

"Well...that...fine!" Lavender cried as she ran from the room.

Dumbledore sighed, "Ah, to be young again and feel love's keen sting."

Amilia snorted next to Severus; he glanced down at her before whispering, "What was that for?"

"A little heartbreak after using a love potion is nothing compared to what else could happen."

Severus felt his heart sink; he knew what she was saying.

"Oh, Severus...I did not mean to..." Amilia trailed off as she looked sadly at the floor.

"It is fine. Go and take her to bed. I will see you after I get started on this." He said as he nodded at the bottle in his hands. Amilia gave him a slight nod before leaving the room.

"Albus," Severus was cut off by the old wizard.

"I know who is trying to kill me, we have had this discussion and we have also had the discussion about what you must do."

Severus rested his knuckles on the grand desk, "I do not want to do it. I can't."

"You must," Dumbledore said a little more harshly than usual. "I do not want his soul stained." Dumbledore sighed, "Draco while being a product of his father's raising, has a kind soul. He would have done wonders as a healer or own an apothecary."

"Indeed." Severus said softly.

"I fear it won't be much longer now. The boy must be growing desperate."

"Yes."

"Go, Severus, you have a wife and child waiting for you." Dumbledore waved him off.

Severus turned his back to the man slowly, his feet moving without command to his quarters.

Amilia was grading some practice tests when Severus returned. She set the quill down, "Well?"

"It was a well crafted poison. Likely purchased from a shop and then put into the mead."

"How did it get into the bottle without breaking the seal?"

Severus gave his wife a pointed look, "You are too observant for your own good but I suppose a syringe through the cork would have done the trick."

Amilia nodded, pleased with his answer, "I think you should go to bed. You probably have a long day ahead of you tomorrow."

"Unless my day gets even longer now." He glanced down at his arm, wondering why he had not been summoned yet. "Let's go."

"I need to finish this up; then I will be there." Amilia rose from the chair and kissed his cheek before sending him off to bed.