Gone
Minerva froze as soon as she saw the doe turn the corner. She and Severus always patrolled the halls on the same nights to ‘balance out each other’s biases’. Albus encouraged a healthy rivalry between the houses and while she and Severus were never what would be called close, they did have a good professional relationship. She would always patrol the dungeons while he patrolled the towers. It was almost like a contest to see who could catch the other students out after hours, but the detentions were handled by their respective Heads of House to keep punishments ‘fair’.
Secretly she thought Severus was hard-handed and creative in his detentions to deter his snakes from misbehaving on their nights so that he always won (granted Gryffindors were known for seeking adventure, so that could be the cause as well). But they never used Patronus messaging unless it was a dire emergency.
The doe galloped down the long hallway, stopping in front of her with a heavy snort. It opened its muzzle and a hoarse voice wavered out. “A- ‘cough’ astronomy tower…” She could hear pain restricting his throat, creating a rattling wheeze and the Patronus’ light dimmed ominously. “P-Pomfrey.” The light of the deer flickered and died. A single spark drifted to the hard cobblestones before winking out of existence.
Minerva placed a hand to her lips and swallowed thickly. She stared at the spot on the ground where the last light had died for a long moment before she realized what she was doing. Quickly, she shot off her own Patronus, a canary, and sent it soaring in the direction of the hospital wing. Then she gathered her skirt and ran.
God, she hated the stairs! By the time she reached the tower her weathered body was gasping for air and her knees ached in a way that she knew would last for days. But when she turned the corner she completely forgot about her own pain.
Severus was lying on the ground slumped against the wall. His face and robes were covered in blood. She rushed forward and knelt, her old knees striking stone in her haste. She pressed her fingers against his blood-soaked throat, feeling for a pulse.
***
Avi was woken by a knock at his door. “Dad?” he asked blearily. He pulled his navy blanket around his shoulders and pulled on the matching slippers Severus had bought him when they moved into the drafty dungeon. Why would his father be waking him in the middle of the night? Did something happen while he was out on patrol?
Avi shuffled over to his bedroom door and opened it to find the Headmaster. Avi’s heart stopped. How did he get past the wards?! Severus had specifically blocked Dumbledore from entering his rooms without his presence.
Dumbledore stepped into the room, and Avi backed up, terrified of having an older man invading his bedroom, his safe space, uninvited. The old man either didn’t notice his fear or ignored it, placing a weathered hand on his shoulder. “Avyaan,” he pronounced it completely wrong as if it was avian, like a bird. “I have some terrible news. Tonight, your father was attacked.”
Avi stared at the man who had made his life a living hell, his heart filling with dread. “I-is he ok?”
“I’m afraid not, my boy.” the Headmaster sighed. “You’ll need to come with me.”
The man gripped his shoulder tightly and led him out of his father’s rooms. Avi was shaking with terror as he was led through the dark, empty halls of the castle. What would he do? without Severus, he had nowhere left to go. A thumb stroked his shoulder in what was probably meant to be a soothing gesture but just made Avi want to crawl out of his skin. He tried to pull away, but the old man held on. “Not long now. It’s just around the corner.”
They passed through a pair of heavy double doors into a sterile-looking room with beds lining both walls. In the far corner, there was a bed curtained off. A somber-faced medi-witch came forward and ushered him over. Avi’s breath hitched as he looked at the figure on the bed as the Headmaster walked away.
He was covered by a white sheet up to his neck with a smaller cloth covering the top half of his face. Avi stood frozen, his mind totally blank. He reached for his father’s hand but paused. His hand was alabaster pale, the fingertips tinged blue. The witch looked at him kindly, “It’s alright if you hold his hand deer. Just be careful not to move the cloth over his eyes. They were badly damaged in the attack and will be extremely sensitive for several days.”
Avi’s head snapped up, “Wake?”
“Yes, deer. Didn’t the Headmaster explain?”
Avi shook his head, his eyes filling with tears. He let out a choked sob and grabbed his dad’s hand like the lifeline it was. He knelt by the bed and buried his face in the cloth over his chest, reveling in the subtle rise and fall below his cheek. Severus’ hands felt like ice, but as he sobbed into the man’s chest, he could hear the gentle rhythm of his heart beating under his ear.
“That man!” he distantly heard the medi-witch mutter. “So occupied by his own air of mystery, that he forgets to have any semblance of a bedside manner!”
Avi wasn’t listening. What if Severus had died? He would have no one left in this world! What if the Headmaster had sent him back to live with the Dursleys? He covered his mouth with a shaking hand, feeling sick.
The hand he held in a death grip twitched and the potion master let out an agonized moan. “Avi?”
Avi practically crawled onto the bed next to his father, sobbing incoherently. Severus moved over to accommodate him and pulled him into his side, ignoring the healer’s scolding about keeping his eyes covered. Severus winced and looked down at the bawling child. “What’s the matter?” he asked, stroking his son’s hair.
“I thought you were dead!” he sobbed, curling into the man’s side and clinging to his robes.
“I’m sorry if I gave you that impression, my boy.” said the Headmaster as he came around the curtain. “It’s good to see you awake, Severus. There are many questions that need answers.”
Severus hugged his son to his side and glared at the old man. Knowing arguing would have no effect he sighed and asked, “Did you find the creature?”
“No,” he said in a grave tone. “The other professors are searching the castle and Hit Wizards have been called. Markhart has led the team into the forest in search of the beast in question, but there has been a complication.”
“What?”
“Minerva discovered a shredded Ravenclaw uniform in the astronomy tower covered in blood. Fillius is counting heads as we speak to find out who is missing.”
“Have you called the Aurors?”
“Yes. As soon as we have more information, we will notify the family. I have canceled classes for the rest of the week and we will notify the students in the morning.” The man bowed his head in grief. “I just don’t understand how this could have happened. The wards should have kept out any dark creatures from the school grounds!”
“Not if it was brought in by someone intentionally…” Severus muttered.