Where The Dreams Come True

Chapter 11

Aristea did not hesitate one second to knock the door urgently. Some moments later Severus Snape himself opened the door and quickly scanned them one by one. His niece ready for action, one of her new friends frozen in place with a terrified look in her eyes, and the last one, looking severely unwell.

"To what do I owe that visit?" he asked with no trace of emotion in his eyes

"Eva has been poisoned. And Madam Pomfrey says you are the only one who can help us with the antidote. She gave her something to decrease the symptoms but it's already wearing off. So, can we come in?" Aristea replied quickly

"Yes... And please wait here for a second." He answered after closing the door behind them

He walked to his fireplace and used the floo network to have some words with Madam Pomfrey herself. When he came back, he looked at the girls and asked in his unique deep voice

"Do you happen to still have the letter with you?"

"Yes, right here!" Aristea replied and showed him the envelope

He used his wand to open it and take the letter out, which by now was floating in the air, and then he proceeded on examining the paper. While he was doing that, his stare fell on the two words written in capitals, which seemed to affect him, as his expression changed ever so slightly.

"It is true that this poison is a very old one, barely used at all nowadays. Unfortunately, I do not have the antidote in store, but I will be able to brew it and have it ready by the end of the week. Until then, I do have some other potions to help with the symptoms, but the headmaster proposed that you stay here for your own safety."

"Thank you very much professor. And I apologize for discommoding you..." Eva whispered looking down

"Can we stay here as well for the meantime?! Uncle?" Aristea proposed, adding unneeded sweetness to her last word

"I am afraid that not. You have not been infected by the poison and you have your obligations to tend to. Of course, you can visit if you want in your free hours. And I am your professor." Snape answered strictly

"Fiiiiiine.... So I guess we should bring here her clothes? I can do it right away!" Aristea answered in disappointment

"I-I can help too..." Athena said in a small and terrified voice

"No need to, I will fetch a house elf for that."

This conversation seemed to have sparked something inside of Eva, who suddenly looked way redder than she was before, and forced herself to say as loud as she could (in order to be heard) in an urgent voice

"I can go and collect my clothes on my own! There's no need for anyone else to go!"

"Nonsense. In this position you are right now you cannot do anything like that." Snape responded firmly

"But... I'm better now... Please?" she looked at him pleadingly

"There is no way. You could get worse and we do not want that. End of the conversation." and with that, he snapped his fingers for a house elf to immediately appear and gave her orders to bring the girl's clothes in his chambers.

When the elf was back, it took everything out of Eva not to start sobbing uncontrollably out of embarrassment.

"Ruby didn't find many normal clothes in miss de la Rosa's closet... Ruby found these cloths in that bag too and thought they could be used somehow, so Ruby brought those ones too..." said the elf apologetically and showed the torn clothes to everyone

Even if Eva knew that little Ruby did not do it out of malice, she felt she could die from her embarrassment, but was trying her best to remain collected