Of Witch and Wolf

[Of Witch and Wolf - Chapter 3]

Savannah awoke propped up in a huge leather armchair. The room was dim and the air was stagnant but cool. An acrid odor burned her nostrils, and her first thought was the hope that it wasn't herself that she smelled.

"Oh, you're awake! Thank goodness!"

As she struggled to sit up straight, she felt a hand on her arm supporting her. Her eyes were slowly adjusting to the room, and she saw that it was Ron who was helping her sit up. He handed her a glass of water and she took a large gulp.

"How are you feeling?" he asked nervously. "We thought - well, I thought - I thought you'd blow up in a puff of smoke, or fall to ashes, or something dreadful like that! The sun didn't actually touch you, I don't think. Are you alright?"

Savannah finished the glass of water and then nodded. "I'm okay," she said gingerly. "It was just the heat of it, I guess."

"Good evening, Miss Stormcrow." Professor Snape leaned against his desk with his arms crossed, coldly peering down at her. Of course, that's where she was - in Snape's dungeon office. That would explain the awful smell; it was the potions. She briefly wondered if it had been Ron or Snape who carried her down.

"That was quite a stupid thing for you to do, Savannah," Snape said; his voice had a slightly annoyed undertone.

"That was quite a rude thing for you to say, Severus." Her eyes were fully adjusted now, and she stared at him evenly. She had already made a fool of herself; she wasn't going to back down now.

Snape glared at her for a moment, then said, "I think you had better go see Madam Pomfrey." He stood up and walked behind his desk, then he sat down and began flipping through a stack of parchments.

"You don't expect me to leave without getting what I came for," she said. She was having a hard time controlling the angry edge in her voice. "Otherwise you would have taken me to Madam Pomfrey yourself."

Ron stood to the side, eyes bulging and his jaw hanging open. No one spoke to Severus Snape that way.

Snape looked up from his papers; his face was full of impatience. "What is it, exactly, that you came for?"

"Just a simple conversation. And possibly a favor."

"I won't guarantee either, Miss Stormcrow," Severus snapped. "But feel free to start talking."

Savannah cleared her throat. Perhaps this wouldn't be so bad. "I... I was told that you are not making the wolfsbane potion for Remus anymore."

A flicker of displeasure flashed across Snape's face. "What's that to do with you?" he asked, his lip curling just a tiny bit.

Her throat was dry; she wanted more water. Snape made her terribly nervous, even through her anger. But she refused to let him push her around. "Just that he is my friend and your peer, and it's a horrible burden for him to bear."

"Don't you suppose it's a burden for me to have to make wolfsbane every month?"

"I don't know what kind of burden it is- "

"Your friend," - he said this word menacingly - "is free to learn the creation on his own, Savannah."

Savannah leaned forward in the chair. "He doesn't have the time to make it- "

"And I do?"

"He is doing research for the Order!" She glanced back at Ron, but of course Ron already knew about the Order, probably more than she did.

"Since you seem so concerned, Miss Stormcrow," Snape said icily, "you should know that not once has Remus Lupin ever asked to be taught the creation of the potion."

"That is because he is terrible with potions! Severus, you know this!" She was near tears.

"Is this the favor you are asking? For me to continue making the brew?" Snape glared at her. "You're wasting your time and mine. There are others of us who have Order research as well, you know." He turned back to his parchments.

What more could she say? He was right, of course; she had known that Snape was in the Order as well. Perhaps one of his "classes" was used to do research. There was one thing she could do, however...

"Severus, teach me to make it."

Snape momentarily paused flipping through his parchments, then resumed.

"Sir?"

"I heard you," he said, his voice suddenly very quiet. He continued shuffling through the parchments for another very long minute. Finally he placed the stack on the corner of his desk and released a long, pent-up sigh. He propped his elbows up on his desk and pressed his fingertips together. He looked at Savannah.

"I will not take responsibility for anything that happens with your concoction," he warned. "Furthermore, you will not attempt to teach it to anyone else, as ugly things tend to happen when the mix is improper, and frankly I doubt you know anyone capable of making it."

Savannah's heart leapt - he was agreeing to teach her! She couldn't help but smile. Remus would be happy to hear it.

"Come back tomorrow evening at ten. I would advise reading up on aconite. And bring your gloves." Snape stood up from behind his desk. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a class to prepare for."

Savannah was overjoyed. She wanted to throw her arms around Severus and hug him, but luckily for him she didn't have the energy for it. Instead, she slowly stood up to leave; she was still feeling very light-headed. Ron rushed over to help her when he saw how wobbly she was.

She looked at the professor. "Severus, I hope you know how grateful I am," she said. She tried to tone down her silly grin, but she couldn't tell how successful she was. She hobbled toward the door with one arm around Ron's neck.

"Savannah."

She turned.

Severus stared at her for a moment. "I really think you ought to visit Madam Pomfrey," he said.

She nodded. It was as close as he could come to an apology.

***

"That was quite a show," Ron said as he helped Savannah up the stairs from the dungeon.

"I'm surprised he didn't kill me," she said breathlessly. Her legs were so weak that climbing the stairs to the hospital wing was proving to be a bigger ordeal than Snape.

"You and me both!" Ron exclaimed. "I was going through all the disarming spells in my head."

Savannah laughed. "I doubt he would have killed you, Ron," she said. "You are still a student."

"Bah," he sniffed. "That doesn't matter. Snape never liked me anyway."

After a few more minutes of struggling, they finally reached the third floor landing. "Here, sit here," Ron said, gesturing toward a bench in the hallway. "It's still a bit light in there, and heaven knows you don't need anymore of that. Let me find Madam Pomfrey."

Savannah sat on the bench and slumped against the wall as Ron entered the hospital doors. Her head was throbbing terribly and her legs felt like jelly. She wondered how Remus was doing; surely he must be feeling better after his long sleep. She felt a twinge of jealousy that he was able to sleep off his weariness and she could not.

Moments later Ron emerged with Madam Pomfrey, who was carrying her medical tote. "Goodness, what happened to you? You are so pale!" Madam Pomfrey exclaimed, rushing to her patient. She knelt in front of Savannah and hurriedly stuck a thermometer in her mouth. Then she brushed back Savannah's hair and examined her eyes.

"She got caught in the sun," Ron said carefully. He wasn't sure how much Savannah wanted to reveal about her current predicament.

"Got caught, eh?" Pomfrey said pointedly, flashing a light into Savannah's left eye. "How much of you was exposed?"

"Uh... nothing, really," Savannah stammered. "I covered myself with my robe."

Madam Pomfrey raised an eyebrow. "You went into the sun deliberately?"

Inwardly, Savannah cringed. "Yes." She said nothing more.

Madam Pomfrey shook her head, then pulled the thermometer out of Savannah's mouth and checked it. "Normal. For you, that is. How are you feeling?"

"Just tired," Savannah said. "A bit of a headache, too. That's all."

Madam Pomfrey grasped one of Savannah's hands and pushed her sleeve up, looking over her skin for anything unusual. Then she pressed two fingers to the side of Savannah's neck and checked her pulse.

"Stick out your tongue," she commanded. Savannah did so.

"Now whistle," the nurse said. Savannah pulled her tongue back in, then took a deep breath and let out a piercing whistle.

Madam Pomfrey winced. "You seem fine to me, dear," she said, standing up. She rummaged through her tote bag for a moment, producing a huge foil-wrapped candy bar that had "Honeydukes" written in enormous letters across it.

"Here," she said, handing Savannah the candy bar. "Eat this, but not all at once, please. It has the toffee bits in it that you like so much." She patted Savannah's knee and gave her a reassuring smile. "You should rest up. Check in with me tomorrow. And please stay out of the sun, Savannah."

"Yes, ma'am," Savannah nodded. The head nurse disappeared back into her hospital. Savannah let out a sigh of relief as she was glad Madam Pomfrey had not asked her anything else about what happened.

"Come on," Ron said, holding out his hand. "Let's get you to bed."

Savannah took his hand and he helped her stand. "I'm not going to bed, Ron," she said. "I can't sleep, remember?"

"I know that," he said. "But at least you should lie down and rest."

"It won't do any good," she said stubbornly. "What time is it? I want to check on Remus."

"I knew that was coming," Ron sighed. "Let's hurry, then - it's almost eight-thirty. I need to make my rounds in half an hour."

They headed toward Remus Lupin's chambers arm-in-arm, albeit rather slowly, with Savannah leaning heavily on Ron.

"So are you ever going to tell me what happened?" Ron asked.

"What happened?" Savannah repeated, perplexed.

"Yeah, you know, this morning," Ron said. "Or last night. Or whenever. You were so... giddy. Smiling all over the place. What happened to put you in such a good mood? Does this have to do with Lupin?"

"Oh. That." Savannah struggled to put her finger on exactly what was going on in her head. "I don't know. Really." She sighed. "It was just... a feeling. Kind of like butterflies, but not nervous butterflies."

"But what happened?"

"I don't know!" she exclaimed, more exasperated with herself than with Ron. "I just... I just noticed it one day. A few days ago, I think. It comes and goes. All I know is that I haven't felt that way for a very long time."

"Huh," Ron murmured. Since he couldn't offer her any useful advice about her unusually good mood, he changed the subject. "Listen, I don't think you should tell Lupin about, you know, making the potion," he said.

"Why not?" Savannah asked. "You don't think he should know?"

"It's just that you haven't actually made it yet, see," Ron said. "I mean, you don't want to get his hopes up or anything, right? What if you can't make it?"

Ron was right. She knew the potion was difficult to make, which was why Snape was the only one at Hogwarts who could create it. She agreed not to say anything about it.

A few minutes later, they were knocking on Remus's door. Savannah stood up straight and released Ron's arm. They heard a bit of shuffling, then the door opened and there stood seventh-year student Harry Potter.

"Oh, hi Ron, Savannah," he said, nodding politely. Then he peered curiously at Savannah. "Are you alright? You look awfully... white."

"She's tired," Ron said. "Is Lupin here? We just came by for a visit."

"Sure, sure," Harry said, opening the door wide to let them in.

Ron and Savannah entered the room. Professor Lupin, dressed in his usual brown slacks and cardigan, sat in the very large armchair next to the roaring fireplace. He turned to see who it was that was here, and he smiled when he saw Savannah.

"Ah, hello, Savannah," he said. "Hello Ron. Come in, come in, sit down. How are you this evening?"

"Actually, I'd better be going," Ron said quickly. "I have to make my rounds."

"Right," Professor Lupin nodded. "Perhaps I'll see you at the game tomorrow."

"Of course," Ron agreed. He never missed a Quidditch game. "Harry, care to do the rounds with me?" Ron was a rather lenient prefect, at least where Harry, his best friend, was involved. He also liked to have the company, because Peeves the poltergeist in particular liked to harass him.

"Sure, I was just leaving anyway," Harry said. "Good night, Professor. Night Savannah."

"See you later," Ron said to Professor Lupin. To Savannah he handed the picnic basket and said, "Please try to get some rest, okay?" She nodded, and Ron and Harry left.

"Well, then," Remus said after the door had closed. "I see you didn't forget about our supper." He smiled warmly at Savannah. He was looking much better after his long sleep, though still very pale. "Come sit," he said, gesturing at the armchair opposite him

Savannah set the picnic basket on the coffee table that stood between the two chairs, then sank down into the armchair. The cushions were so soft that the chair seemed to suck her in. Her legs were overjoyed to have her weight taken off them, and they immediately went limp. She found herself wishing she could sleep there.

Remus stared at her for a moment before he spoke. "Why are you so quiet tonight, Savannah?" he finally asked.

"Oh," she said, waving her hand and offering a little smile. "I'm just tired, that's all. I brought us sandwiches." She leaned forward to the table and opened the picnic basket, rummaging through the contents and avoiding Remus's gaze.

The truth was that the awkward, giddy feeling had returned to her stomach as soon as she and Ron had stopped in front of Remus's door, and it was now traveling up her body, through her chest, and up into her head. She couldn't help her face turning a subtle shade of pink as Remus looked at her, and she hoped he wouldn't be able to see it in the reflection of the firelight.

"I wanted to thank you for taking care of me last evening," Remus said. "Or, this morning, as it were."

Savannah handed him a bottle of butterbeer, and her dark eyes made contact with his bright amber ones. "You're welcome," she said quietly. "I couldn't just leave you out there."

He picked up a sandwich. "Well, I would have made my way back eventually," he said, a half-smile on his lips. "You just happened to make my ordeal that much easier to handle. You did more than most people would."

Savannah looked down at her hands. "Remus," she said carefully, "why didn't you take your potion last night?"

"I didn't have any left," he shrugged. "It takes a few days to make them, and Severus has been so busy. I promised Madam Pomfrey that I would see myself out to the shack, but..." Again he flashed his tired, crooked smile. "Well, I lost track of time."

"What happened out there?"

"I don't know." Remus sighed. "I never know - I never remember what happens when I don't take the potion." He gingerly placed his hand on his ribs. "But apparently whatever I met out there wasn't too happy to see me." Shaking his head, he popped the cap off his butterbeer. "I do remember you, though. Your voice, and the warm blanket. That was much appreciated."

"I found your clothes," Savannah said. "But they were pretty badly shredded. I don't think I can fix them."

"Oh, that's alright," he said. "I'll get some others. Shame about the jacket, though; I rather liked that one."

Savannah picked at her sandwich and wondered what else he remembered about that morning. "You slept well, then? You are looking better."

"Yes, I slept well," he nodded. "The bath helped."

Savannah blushed furiously but said nothing.

Remus laughed. "Don't distress, Vannah," he reassured her. "You were very modest. It's terribly selfish of me to say this, but - I wish others would have taken care of me the way you have."

She finally looked up at him. "I would do it again," she said quietly. She was wearing her heart on her sleeve.

Remus smiled. "I know you would," he said. "You are good to me, Vannah." He nodded at her sandwich. "Now eat up."

***

Ron and Harry made their way around the boys' corridor, making sure doors were closed and no lights were on. They talked about the day's events.

"Have you talked to Hagrid today?" Harry asked. "He was pretty upset. Seems someone's broken into his hut."

"Really?" Ron said, surprised. "How can he tell? The place is such a mess."

"He says someone stole his set of crystal goblets, and that nice dagger he had sitting on the mantle."

"That's dreadful." Ron shook his head as he checked the door of a room. "Who would have the guts to swipe something from Hagrid? Awfully stupid, if you ask me."

"I wonder if it's the same guy..." Harry pondered. "Do you remember a few weeks ago that report of the Three Broomsticks being broken into?"

"Oh yeah, I remember that," Ron nodded. They discussed Hagrid's unfortunate happening a bit more, then went on to other subjects. Harry was excited about the next day's Quidditch game, although he did have a minor complaint about Professor Snape's extremely long potions assignment. It seemed to him that Snape assigned the most difficult homework just before a game.

Ron refrained from telling Harry about Savannah's confrontation with the professor earlier in the day. He and Harry shared equal opinions about lunch's beef stew and their Arithmancy assignment. After they had completed the rounds, Ron automatically headed to the outer corridor. Harry followed.

They walked halfway across, then stopped to look out over the grounds. It was a clear night; that morning's storm had come and gone quickly. Ron absentmindedly stared up at the empty Astronomy tower. "Huh," he mumbled.

"What?"

"Oh, nothing," Ron shrugged. "Guess I just expected her to be up there."

"Who? Savannah, you mean?"

"Yeah." Ron pointed up to the tower. "She's usually up there in the evenings. Sits there all night, poor girl."

Harry was quiet for a moment. "I suppose someone like her likes to be alone."

"No, not really," Ron said sadly. "She sits up there waiting. She waits for the storms, Harry. Haven't been many this season, though."

Harry felt a twinge of pity. He had often avoided Savannah because it was his belief that she didn't want to be around other people. Plus, she made him feel awkward; it was a strange, somewhat chilly aversion. Now he felt a tiny bit guilty, and vowed to try to be a better person and friend.

"Yeah, it's the storms," Ron continued. "When it starts to rain, she climbs out onto the roof and practically hangs from the flagstaff. It's the lightning, you know."

"Lightning," Harry repeated. How strange.

"Yeah," Ron said. "It's a terrible curse that girl has. Can't ever see the sun. Not 'til she gets hit by lightning." Ron shook his head. "And you know the best lightning storms come around during the daytime."