Chapter Seven: The Unknown

Severus slammed his book shut and hurriedly scratched a few lines on the parchment in front of him. He turned back to the book, only to realize that he had shut it in haste and lost his page. He flicked his wand at it and it fell open again. He scanned it, quickly finding his place.

“Soul Starvation,” he muttered. “Non-verbal.”

It had been a week since the Healers left, taking the patients left in the infirmary with them. Granger had been moved to a bed under a window at the far end of the infirmary. She continued the same as ever, and Severus continued to search for answers. He may have just found one. He began reading where he had left off.

The Soul Starvation Curse relied on a modified method of petrification to trap the soul in the body. Since the victims appeared to be dead, not petrified, they were often buried or burned alive by their own families. When buried, being perfectly conscious with no physical or mental stimuli, the victim’s mind would slowly give in to insanity. The soul would become weaker and weaker until it finally faded from the body. It is unknown how long a strong mind could last, but even weaker minds could continue for years in such a state. The Soul Starvation Curse was used on traitors in war, most notably by Richard the Relentless near the end of his reign.

Severus slammed the book shut again. The frail pages crinkled slightly as the loose binding shifted.

It fit too well. It was ancient dark magic, a war curse meant for traitors. The Dark Lord would have known it and would have thought it a fitting end for a double agent. The question was how did he change it? He liked to add his own touch to a curse. He would often tailor a curse for its victim. What would he have done to Severus?

Severus stared at the parchment on his desk and rolled his quill between his fingers. He was beginning to doubt his previous theories. Since being hit with the curse two weeks ago, Granger had shown no sign of change, good or bad. The Soul Starvation Curse seemed to be the most likely explanation. However, Granger did not look dead. She looked very much alive and well. She reported that she felt well, having no pain or numbness in any part of her body. She ate and drank nothing, and her body wanted nothing to sustain it.

Voldemort was not patient or subtle. It was not like him to create a curse with undetectable effects. He would have wanted to see his victim suffer. Severus could not imagine how the Dark Lord would have altered the curse to produce Granger’s state, nor could he imagine what might lie in store for the girl. Dark curses generally did not take so long to work their evil in a person’s body – unless they were created to respond to a trigger.

A trigger was often a place – for example, a person cursed against entering a house would harbor the curse without any ill effect until they stepped foot inside the door. Trigger curses could lay dormant indefinitely. At one time they were used as punishment for crimes, but they were complicated, unstable spells even when cast by a skilled wizard. When cast by a lesser wizard they were often completely ineffective, or spontaneously set themselves off.

It was a guess, but it was all Severus had. It was unlikely that the Dark Lord would attempt such a delicate curse in the midst of a battle, but perhaps it was a chance he had been willing to take for revenge.

There were still too many unknowns. Why didn’t Granger appear to be dead? What triggers would Voldemort have used for Severus? What kind of curse would be unleashed when the trigger was found? Did Voldemort cast the curse successfully?

Severus found himself remembering Granger’s faint reply the night he had told her that he did not know if he could help her. It had been hardly more than a whisper in his mind, a soft acknowledgement of her hopeless situation. He was not sorry for telling her the truth, but since then he had often wished the truth was different.

Realizing how late it was, Severus prepared for bed. He lay down heavily at last, feeling more tired than seemed appropriate, and immediately fell asleep.

The next morning, Severus woke with the sensation of emerging from a very good dream. It was not a common feeling for him, but the haze of sleep left him quickly and took every memory of his dreams with it. His only truly good dreams were always of Lily, and he was sorry he could not remember it. It had been a long time since he had one.

Frowning, Severus stood up. This was no time to wallow in the past. He should check on Granger early this morning, before the Healer arrived from St. Mungo’s. Severus wanted to be there to meet him as usual.

Severus ate breakfast in his rooms and hurried to the infirmary. Granger’s bed was still walled in. She had wished to keep them for privacy, despite the fact that there was no longer anyone else in the infirmary with her. Many students and their families had left Hogwarts by now, though the entire Weasley clan was still living in the Gryffindor tower, along with Potter and a few others. Severus thought it was far too generous of Minerva to allow anyone to stay this long, but she was determined to house the survivors of the battle as long as they wished to stay. Repairs to the castle were underway, and at least the inhabitants were making themselves useful by helping in that way.

He strode into Granger’s room purposefully, but his grand entrance went unnoticed because the Healer had not yet arrived. Severus checked the time. The Healer was late.

Severus found himself staring at Granger as she slept. Well, her eyes were still closed, at least. If she was awake, she might have heard him enter since he had taken no pains to be quiet. Her sense of hearing had become quite acute.

Granger’s face was so serene in the morning light that it was hard to believe she was the obnoxious hand-waver he remembered from classes. The light from the window was bright despite being filtered through enchanted stained glass, and it gave her face a rosy glow.

Suddenly, Severus realized that it was the same window under which he had woken up not so long ago. It featured a large red rose with a leafy green stem and long, sharp thorns jutting out at angles. He wondered if it had managed to bring a bit of color into his own complexion when he had been the one lying beneath it.

Severus went to stand next to her, carefully positioning himself so that he was not blocking the warm light from her face. He tried to remember what her face had looked like when it was animated. She looked much older when she was not wearing school robes and flouncing around the castle with Potter – but then, she had not been in the castle for over a year, and her time away had been anything but relaxing. She would have matured greatly trying to keep Potter and Weasley alive while on the run from the Dark Lord.

He let his gaze roam over her still features: a slightly heavy, gently arched brow, and thick, rather straight lashes resting on cheeks that were covered in light freckles. Her nose and mouth were delicately shaped, average and unassuming. Her eyes were surely the focal point of her face, when they were open. Without the pretentious eagerness he recalled overriding her features, she appeared composed, mature, and almost elegant.

Severus mentally shook himself. What was the matter with him? He moved closer to the bed, allowing his shadow to fall over Granger’s body. He reached down and opened her eyes gently. He did not take time to dwell on the fact that the gesture was now familiar to him, but looked into her blank eyes and with very little effort found her waiting behind them.

“Miss Granger.”

Good morning, she said, as was her habit. Today, however, it was faint and weak. Her normally bright, clear thoughts had diminished to a wavering echo. It was certainly not a good sign.

“Did I wake you?” he inquired, and realized that his voice was unusually gentle. He cleared his throat.

“I will give you a moment to gather your thoughts.”

No, she said. I’ve been awake. I heard you – come in.

If he had not become used to hearing her thoughts, he might not have heard them at all. There was no force behind them.

“Miss Granger, have you been getting adequate sleep?”

Yes, she answered at once. No – I don’t know. I hardly know if I’ve slept for hours or minutes sometimes. But – I believe I sleep enough.

“It seems that you are weak this morning.”

Do I even need to sleep? she mused, her thoughts becoming clearer.

I don’t need to eat, or – she paused and he picked up a hint of embarrassment in her thoughts – or anything else, but I guess I do need to give my mind a rest. It’s the only part of me that – functions – at the moment.

Her thoughts had reached their normal pitch and he could feel the warm energy of her mind rushing toward him again.

“Perhaps,” he said thoughtfully, “but you do not need as much rest for your mind when you are not able to expend energy with your body. It is likely that you have been sleeping much more than is necessary. Without enough stimulation –”

Severus broke off abruptly. He had been thinking aloud, and the realization of what he was about to say stopped him. Without stimulation of the mind the soul tied to it would fade – first into insanity, then to death – soul starvation.

Whether or not it was the curse used, the effects would be the same if Granger remained in this state. She was in no immediate danger of death, and while she could still communicate with Severus she would not go insane, but the faintness of her voice only a few minutes before had scared him.

“Miss Granger, I believe you may be damaging your mind by sleeping too much.”

What? I haven’t – I mean, how could it hurt me?

She was panicked, and her distress began to make him uncomfortable.

“You appear to be unharmed as of yet,” he said quickly, though it might have been a lie. “However, I believe you should try to stay awake as long as possible. Sleep only at night and even then less than you did normally.”

That would do for now, but he would have to monitor her closely, at all intervals of the day, to be sure she was not fading.

I can’t – I mean –

Severus emerged from own his thoughts to give attention to hers.

It’s hard to stay awake when there’s nobody here, she said. Before I know it, I fall asleep. I don’t try to do it.

“You must try harder, Miss Granger! Your life depends on it.”

Why – what is going on? I don’t understand –

Severus was sure that if Granger had been able to, she would be crying. That knowledge might have been what put the uncharacteristic softness back into his voice when he answered.

“Your mind appears to be weakened from inactivity,” he said hesitantly, because he was not sure how much he should tell her. “It needs to be active for at least as many hours as it would normally. The mind, the body, and the soul are connected in ways that we do not fully understand.”

So... you think the curse will kill me while I sleep? Or, it makes you want to sleep so much that you never wake up? Please, can't you explain?

Severus wondered if obsessing over the curse would help keep her mind active or only speed her more quickly to insanity. In any case, it was hard to resist the overwhelmingly emotional plea that hit him. He could not continue to speak with her while she was in such a state.

“There is a known curse which traps the mind and soul in the body until they fade away completely. It does not appear to be the curse that the Dark Lord used... however, it is similar.”

She was silent for a moment and retreated back into her mind. He waited as unobtrusively as possible until she spoke.

I will try.

Severus looked away from her. Fear and sorrow infused her every thought and he wished that he had not spoken aloud earlier.

“Miss Granger, you may be assured that the danger is not great at the moment,” Severus said firmly. “You have several advantages over the situation, one of which is the ability to speak with me. Also, you do in fact possess a greater strength of mind than most people – the ease with which we communicate is proof. I am confident that if you stay awake for longer periods of time, your mind will not be harmed.”

Severus stood as he spoke and stared at the silent girl on the bed. He realized that he had occluded his mind from her without thinking, and when he let the walls down again he could still sense the faintest echoes of her emotion.

He left her, feeling that he had told her too much, but it had to be done. She could not continue sleeping away the days and allow her mind to become weak. Severus suddenly remembered what she had told him; “It’s hard to stay awake when nobody’s here.” Why wasn’t anybody there? Her little Gryffindor friends had been constantly underfoot the first week, and he had assumed that they still visited her. Now, he realized that he had not seen anyone going in or out of the room recently.

Severus nearly ran into the St. Mungo’s Healer as he left the infirmary. He did not even bother to intimidate the man today. He needed to find the Headmistress. Fortunately, he did not need to go very far in search of McGonagall. She was standing in the corridor with Potter, Weasley, and one of the Patil girls. They saw him coming and ended their conversation.

“Headmistress,” he called, advancing, “a word with you. Potter, Weasley, stay!”

The boys stopped in their tracks a few feet away.

“What is it, Severus?”

McGonagall was startled.

“Have you discovered something about Miss Granger?”

Severus glared at Potter as he answered.

“I have,” he said. “I just spoke with her, and discovered something very interesting indeed.”

Severus bored holes into Potter’s head, because the boy was not looking at him.

“It seems her – friends – no longer see the need to visit her.”

“Wha – of course we visit her, Professor! I don’t know what he’s talking about!”

Potter was addressing the Headmistress. She frowned and glanced at Severus in concern.

“Don’t lie to us, Potter!” Severus snapped.

“I’m not!” retorted the boy. “Just because you don’t see me there doesn't mean I haven't been –”

“I don’t need to see anything,” said Severus. “I’ve seen enough this morning to know you’re lying, Potter.”

“Severus, please,” said McGonagall sharply, losing her patience. “Explain.”

Severus took a step back from Potter and looked at the Headmistress.

“Miss Granger’s mind may be harmed by inactivity if she continues to sleep through the days. I had assumed that she had enough visitors to keep her from danger, but this morning her mind was – weaker than usual. She admitted to sleeping more than was necessary, saying it was difficult to stay awake with nobody in the room. I have no reason to believe she would lie, or that she would forget any – visitors.”

McGonagall drew a breath.

“Thank you, Severus. We will discuss this later.”

McGonagall checked the time and said, “I’ve got to meet with the Minister in five minutes. Potter, Weasley –”

“We know,” said Potter. “We’re sorry. I didn’t think – I mean, I guess we’ve just been busier than we realized.”

“Very well,” said McGonagall. “I trust you will convey Professor Snape’s concern to Miss Granger’s other friends.”

She gave Severus a nod and left. Potter and Weasley went immediately in the direction of the infirmary, but not before giving him curious looks. Severus was left alone in the corridor, feeling very strange. He should have spoken to McGonagall privately. It was unsettling to have Potter look at him with anything short of loathing.