Severus Snape stomped into the kitchen, muttering obscenities under his breath. He wasn't a morning person despite almost 20 years in the military. He followed his nose to the coffee pot. He inhaled his first cup at the counter, sighing in bliss as the caffeine hit his veins. Feeling only slightly happy and marginally more awake, he started some bacon and poured another cup of coffee. Absently he flicked on the TV, half-listening to the morning news.
"… boy found beaten in an alleyway last night has been airlifted to St. Mungo's hospital. Police have no clue as to the identity of the boy and are asking the public to come forward."
Severus spat coffee out as they showed a picture of a boy with eyes swollen almost shut and his top lip looking like it had been ripped in half. The boy had blonde hair that was almost white and between the thin slits of his eyelids, his eyes were a barely perceivable grey. Barely taking the time to snap off the stove, Severus grabbed his jacket and was out the door.
Mary Harper, a happy 18 year old administrative assistant who was pursuing her dream of being an RN, was totally unprepared for the burning inferno that was Severus Snape.
"WHERE THE HELL IS MY GODSON?" Mary jumped at the bellow and subsequent bang on the counter. All it took was for her to take one look at those burning black eyes for her to burst into tears. Severus huffed and ran a hand through his hair. Lowering his voice, he asked her again but received no response. Before he could ask again, he was interrupted.
"Excuse me, sir, could you stop scaring my assistant?" Severus turned and glared at the older gentleman.
"Where is my godson? The boy they brought in this morning. WHERE IS HE?" Dr. Richard Castle raised an eyebrow at the angry young man in front of him. He turned and held out an arm towards an office.
"Perhaps we could take a moment to talk in private? Erica, may we use your office for a moment? Please?" Erica smiled and nodded as she left. Dr. Castle shut the door and motioned for Severus to take the seat on the left while he took the one on the right.
"Now, Mr…"
"Snape. Severus Snape. I am the godfather of Draco Malfoy, the young man who was brought in this morning. Where is he? Where is his father?"
"Mr. Snape, I am Dr. Castle. I am your godson's doctor. Are you aware of the circumstances in which young Mr. Malfoy was brought to us?"
"Only what I heard on the six o'clock news this morning." Dr. Castle nodded.
"While I cannot divulge information to anyone not related-" Dr. Castle held up a hand to delay the coming rant-"I can tell you that he is stable and we currently have him sedated. Now that you have arrived, maybe you can contact his parents and we can allow you to see him with their permission."
Severus thought and nodded. With the new and constantly changing privacy laws, he knew that he needed his old friend's permission. Severus sneered at the thought of Lucius Malfoy but he pulled out his cellphone. He dialed Lucius and hit the speakerphone so the good doctor could participate in the conversation if needed.
"Well, well if it isn't my dear old friend. What can I do for you, Sevvy?" Severus growled at the name.
"Lucius, are you aware that your son is currently in the ICU of St. Mungo's after the police found him beaten in an alley?"
"Oh, Sevvy, you really should stay in the loop. I have disowned that worthless spawn. Let's just say, that he follows more in your footsteps than in mine. I care nothing of his wellbeing." Severus winced. Dr. Castle thought he had heard everything but was shocked at the venom he heard in the man's voice.
"You can't be serious, Lucius! This is your only son! He's-"
"If you are so concerned, then you deal with it. I am currently in the middle of planning my wedding to Bellatrix. I will be adopting her sons as my own so have no need for Draco. I drew up the papers disowning Draco on Monday and I kicked him out on Tuesday. Now, if you will excuse me." Lucius hung up leaving Severus staring slack-jawed at the phone. Dr. Castle laid a comforting hand on the young man's shoulder.
"Allow me to take you to see young Draco. While you have a short visit, I will contact Detective Shacklebolt. You may want to contact a lawyer. I haven't dealt with a situation like this before." Severus nodded and followed him out.
Severus wiped tears from his eyes as he stared at Draco. His godson's face was covered in bruises. Dr. Castle had given him a run-down of Draco's other injuries. Multiple broken ribs, a broken right forearm and dislocated right shoulder, internal bleeding and multiple bruises and abrasion on his torso, legs and back. At Severus' questioning look, Dr. Castle had simply nodded sadly and patted his shoulder.
The subsequent meeting with Detective Kingsley Shacklebolt did little to boost Severus' mood. Kingsley had been informed of Draco's disownment by Dr. Castle and had contacted Lucius to confirm. Kingsley knew Lucius Malfoy by reputation and their chat only served to reinforce that notion. It was during his meeting with Severus Snape that a small rat faced lawyer named Peter Pettigrew showed up and delivered the disownment papers.
Severus clenched his fists as he recalled the look on the smug bastard's face when he served the papers. He regretted allowing Kingsley to hold him back when Peter had made a slur against Draco's orientation while the boy lay unconscious in a bed mere yards away. It was only because Draco was mere yards away that gave Severus the self-control.
"Uncle Sev?" He jumped at the sound of his godson's voice. He scooted closer so that Draco could see him.
"I'm right here, Dray. I'm not going anywhere." Draco whimpered and squeezed Severus' hand before slipping back into sleep. A quick knock on the door and Kingsley stuck his head in and waved him out. Severus gave Draco a quick kiss on the forehead and whispered that he would be right back.
"I wanted to give you a head's up. I'm sorry to say this but Lucius Malfoy has been cleared of any involvement in Draco's…. attack. Draco left Tuesday and Lucius left Tuesday evening for a business conference in Madrid, Spain. Doctors say that Draco was first attacked sometime on Wednesday night. We think he was held somewhere and then dumped Thursday night in the alley. I'm sure Dr. Castle told you about the extent of Draco's injuries?" Severus nodded. He turned and stared in at his godson.
"Do you have any leads?" Kingsley stood beside him, staring in at the pale boy. He thought of his son, off for his first semester at college this fall.
"No. Until we can talk to Draco, we are at a loss. I don't want to press him too soon so I'm relying on you to help me. If that's ok?" Severus sighed and rubbed his face. How did one deal with a suddenly disowned godson that had been kidnapped, raped and beaten?
"I'll help any way that I can, sir." Kingsley turned to face Severus.
"Severus, you need to start the adoption process now if you are serious about this boy. DCS has already been notified and is coming to take custody."
"Kingsley, I'm in the process of getting deployed. I'm here on leave for the next three weeks. They're not going to give Draco to me." Kingsley stepped in closer.
"Well, then, you better find someone because this boy isn't gonna last through this investigation if he's in foster care!"
"You think I don't know that? Fuck, I was in the system. I remember that life. But, you don't know Lucius Malfoy. No one is going to take his son in. Lucius has burned a lot of bridges."
"Surely no one would take their anger out on a child just because of his father!" Severus turned back to the room and raised a brow.
"You can't possibly mean that!" Severus swung around.
"I don't know anything! All I know is that Lucius Malfoy is such a major jackass that everyone that comes in contact with him hates him."
"Everyone? There must be one person?" Severus jammed his fists into his eyes.
"There's a cousin that may be willing to take him. I'll call." Kingsley nodded.
"Good. Do it now. We cant waste time. Who is it?" Severus sighed.
"Sirius Black, my ex-boyfriend."