This is written for the QLFC [Quidditch League Fanfiction Competition.]
I'm the Seeker for the Kenmare Kestrels!
Prompt: Indominus rex: Write about the invention of a magical object, potion, or other creation. I chose 'Sectumsempra' by Severus Snape.
Thanks for my Beta for this round: Kyrie!
TW: Mentions of bullying, self-harm by spell, and blood. The most graphic is the bullying, but it does mention the self-harm and blood in later paragraphs.
[WC:1120]
~oOoOoOo~
Severus Snape was absolutely brilliant at potions. In fact, he was so brilliant that he regularly created his own alterations to the class assignments. He always made sure to write the alterations down in the margins of his text books, and when he was feeling in a generous mood, he shared them with Lily Evans. Sometimes, he shared more than just better potions. Sometimes, he shared bits of him - his past, his life, his fears and loves and everything in between.
However, by sixth year, Severus was having a terrible time at Hogwarts. He loved the magic and challenges. But his classmates were awful.
James Potter and his hoard of termites were atrocious. Not only were they obnoxious to everyone other than their fellow Gryffindors, but they went out of their way to make his life a living hell. They had determined that his nickname was now 'Snivellus,' and had encouraged everyone else - other than the Slytherins - to call him that.
No matter what they did however, they never got caught. So, he had devised a master plan. As adept as he was at altering potions, he also had a slight knack for creating spells. He had determined that the next time Potter used the 'Levicorpus' spell against him, he would use his own creation on himself, bringing Potter into the trouble he deserved.
Severus locked himself inside an abandoned classroom, and warded against any snooping cretins. He pulled out a small book from his pockets that specialized in defensive spells. Conjuring a 'dummy' made out of cotton and stuffing that they regularly used in their Defense Against the Dark Arts class, Severus began brainstorming on what he would create.
He knew that he wanted to draw blood, and in his opinion, the more gore, the better. Flicking to the pages destined for slicing hexes, he jotted down a few notes about depth and the intention behind the curse. Next, Severus scanned the text for blood thinning spells, and after finding what he needed, he pulled out a book about healing spells.
He sought out the simple spells about healing abrasions to the flesh, and found what he needed. It was an advanced spell, but if he was able to make some alterations to it, the spell would work wonderfully as a counterspell.
He thought about the best way to word the curse, and started thinking about the latin meanings.
He figured that he would have to use a form of the word 'cut', and the one with the best intention was 'Sectum.' Realizing that he would need the cuts to resist normal healing magic, he sat and debated internally about the best way to do so.
Forever in latin meant 'Aeternum,' but, 'Sectumaeternum' didn't have the meaning he was looking for. Finding 'Semper,' which just meant 'ever,' was a lot easier to verbalize, but he needed one last alteration.
Finding the best development in the result of 'Sectumsempra,' he decided to try it out.
Severus unsheathed his wand, and finely twisted his wrist before he slashed it across the air as he muttered the incantation.
Immediately, stuffing burst out of the slashes in the dummy. They were a bit jagged on a closer inspection, so on the second try, he straightened the slash and was met with superb results.
The cuts were crisp, the white stuffing in sharp contrast to the grey linen that served as the skin. Severus grinned to himself, letting the unusual feeling of the usually forced expression grace his features. He knew then, that if anyone were to see him in that moment, they would know how dark and uncaring Severus really was.
~oOoOoOo~
The spell he created was quite brutal, and would need his certain counterspell to make sure he wouldn't die from the wounds. However, with the proper wrist movements, he would be able to hex shallow cuts across his arms and abdomen, and after Madam Pomfrey couldn't heal him, Potter would hopefully be expelled.
He didn't have to lay in wait long before Potter and his gang of nitwits cornered him in the courtyard. Almost immediately, their fellow students circled them.
"What a pleasure to see you, Snivellus!" sneered Potter, causing some of their peers to snicker. "I must say, your hair looks marvelous! Did you use a new shampoo, maybe containing troll slobber?"
"Your mother should have swallowed you," mocked Severus, causing gasps to sound from the crowd. Severus crossed his arms, waiting for Potter to draw his wand; he was not enjoying the verbal accusations today.
"Yeah, well, at least my father cared for me," Potter snickered. Severus could see the joy in his eyes radiate as he thought about what he said.
'That bitch!' he thought. He knew then that Lily told him, and Merlin knows who else knew about his poor homelife.
Another fault in his father for being a worthless, alcoholic, abusive Muggle. But for his Lily to tell James about him? What else had she told him?
"Did you hear me? Or are your ears so clogged with grease that I need to repeat myself?" he taunted.
Severus didn't get a chance to reply before he was suddenly thrust up into the air upside down. His head banged harshly against the ground before he was raised higher by Potter.
Severus vaguely heard Potter and the miscreants jeering at him, yelling more taunts and insults. Making sure the were preoccupied, Severus slowly slipped his wand from inside his right sleeve. Knowing that Potter was about to raise his pants, showcasing his undergarments to their classmates, he aimed his wand at his legs and torso. His arms spread wide, before he let them hang awkwardly towards the ground. He was ready, the spell on the tip of his tongue itched to be cast.
For this first time in his miserable life, Severus was giddy with excitement.
Potter raised his wand, and as the spell left the end of his wand, Severus did the same.
Almost instantly, blood was dripping. Deep rivulets of crimson liquid dripped down his wiry legs; the taste and scent of iron invaded his senses.
Too soon, darkness overtook him. He figured it didn't help that he cut too deep and he was hanging upside down.
~oOoOoOo~
It took four days for Severus to wake up. Four days for him too find that Potter escaped from expulsion. Four days for word to catch that he had done it too himself.
All this time wasted.
He should have known that Dumbledore wouldn't believe them to do it. If they didn't get expelled for leading him to a werewolf, why would this work?
He felt like an idiot. He was an idiot.
Why was life so unfair?