Falling For The Dead

Chapter 3

Hours turned to days;days turned to weeks; and weeks turned to months. It's been a whole solid 4 months since the Battle and still, they've been unable to repair the castle.

A few weeks after his clash with Minerva, Snape decided to help the others to rebuild the castle. There were Ministry officials, Aurors, remaining members of the Order, a couple of older students (including young Ms Weasley, Mr Weasley and Ms Granger) and most of Hogwarts' professors and house-elfs; all working hard to put the once magnificent castle into one.When he was asked to help the team to put the castle together, he thought he will be given some reasonable tasks, considering the fact that he was an ex-deatheater and a strong wizard who survived a fatal bite of a goddamn venomous snake which also happened to be a horcrux. But instead, he was given the simple task of moving debris here and there, or cleaning and moving furniture from the still-intact classrooms. While he was arguing with the Headmistress, a very white-with-fury Poppy Pomfrey stormed towards him and almost screamed,

"You will listen to what she says, Severus Tobias Snape! You still have to rest and should consider it lucky you are even allowed to step out of your private rooms, let alone use a tad bit of magic!"

And with that, she left, leaving an utterly shocked and angry yet madly blushing Snape along with a smirking Minerva McGonagall.

The Weasley family and many other families came one by one and started to repair the less destroyed parts of the castle before moving to much larger parts. But that's when they began to encounter a problem. Quite a major problem.

The aura of the Dark Magic surrounding the area was almost too much to neglect and clearly, the castle didn't like it at all.

It's as if it has a mind of its own. It doesn't wants to be rebuild in a place where the remains of Dark Magic is still strong. Whenever they try to put the stone walls or a random gargoyle together, it stays for a few seconds and then crumbles apart; often with a groan in latter's case. They need stronger magic or, a stronger wand; strong enough to eradicate the Dark aura present. It was suffocating them, it was drawing the energy within them.

The ones that came to help first were not seen for another few days; rumours were that they were admitted to St Mungo's suffering extreme headaches and terrifying nightmares. The Healers suggested it's the effects of Dark Magic; it affected people who doesn't or didn't use Dark Magic; even though they are not sure. Hell, it was even affecting Minerva.

No matter how many times he asked her to take some rest or leave for a couple of days and enjoy some fresh sunshine and air, she won't budge it. "It is the duty of a Headmistress, Severus. I can't let this nasty little bugger interfere with my job." This is what she said. And they say men are think-headed.

As the time went on, her condition started to grow even worse. There were purple bags beneath her eyes which were bloodshot; her once-healthy skin was now turning into a sickly pale colour. She asked him for dreamless-sleep potion almost everyday; he even scared she's going to get addicted to the stuff. Oh well, that wouldn't do good to her or the others.

It was during such a day, when they all were trying to put a particularly short wall together Mr Creevy came rushing towards them, his brown eyes wide with fear. It took almost all of Snape's patience to calm the boy down. However, he felt his heart drop a few miles when Creevy said,

"Professor McGonagall! She - she fainted and shelookeddeathlypaleandwhite!"

All of them stood transfixed, not quite catching what he just said (except for Creevy who was still mumbling incoherently) Snape was the first to snap out of it. He quickly summoned his happiest memories with quite a difficulty  and whispered,

" Expecto Patronum! "
      
Soon enough, a silver doe burst from the tip of his wand and galloped around before turning her misty eyes to his onyx ones. She looked at him silently, waiting for him to command her purpose. His eyes softened, mind filling with every memory of Lily and naturally, Harry himself.

He quickly pushed away his thoughts a nd said in a low voice,

"We are bringing Minera over there. She isn't feeling well, and I need you to help her as much as you can."

The doe looked at him earnestly with its misty eyes and the next moment, she took off, galloping to St. Mungos.

He suddenly felt drained. Tired. Dizzy. Was the Dark Magic taking toll on him too? But it can't be possible. He had used Dark Magic multiple times; even created spells of his own. The dizziness began to grow worse as each second passed on; and he heard a distant voice yelling "Professor Snape!" before he felt his legs gave away.
He groaned slightly before feeling his consciousness slip away into the world of blackness.

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A/N: It's been WAY TOO FKIN LONG and I already had this chapter ready. I'll explain it all later. I'm tired rn so BYEEE ✨