Professor Snapes Most Painful Childhood Memory
One Saturday Morning in September Hermione and Ron were fighting with Marcus Flint who was one of the older Slytherin boys, in fact he was the captain of the Slytherin Quidditch team.
A white Muggle puppy had somehow found its way onto Hogwarts property and Marcus thought it would be good sport to kick it
Hermione and Ron heard the painful whining of the battered puppy and Ron reached down to pick up the trembling battered puppy whose white coat was now dirty and bloody from the abuse. They confronted Marcus Flint then got into a very heated argument during which they ignored the attention of several onlookers the argument had attracted, who were curious as to why a couple of second year Gryffindors were fighting with an older student and a Slytherin at that.
Hermione's temper was rising and she was about to use her wand on the older Slytherin as she was so mad.
"GRANGER" Professor Severus Snape said her last name smoothly and deadly like as he came over to investigate. Some other teachers had seen the incident and were arriving too. "What is the meaning of this attack upon another student?"
Hermione's temper was hot but she controlled herself as she answered Professor Snapes Question.
"It was because of the puppy sir" Hermione told him
"Puppy? " Questioned Professor Snape as he scowled.
Ron put his two Knuts in "Yes sir it was because of this Puppy ." as he nervously showed Professor Snape.
Professor Snapes face took on a strange look and he asked, "what happened to that puppy."
Hermione said, "Flint was kicking the dog around " She figured that Snape was going to take points off Griffindor so she may as well tell him why.
Snape turned to Ron and gently took the dog and looked at it, cradled it in his arms and said to Marcus Flint "150 points off Slytherin House. You will serve detention with Filch for the next month."
He glared at Flint who hung his head was bewildered by Snapes reaction himself and left to go to the castle.
With that Severus Snape turned and took the dog with him to fix its injuries.
Hermione and Rons stood there in shock, as Professor Snape did not take any points from Griffindor. The amazement of the other onlookers reflected that of Ron and Hermione.
Minerva who had arrived and heard the last part looked towards Professor Snapes fast disappearing form and wondered what on earth made Professor Snape lose his temper on one of his own, and his own Captain of the Quidditch team at that.
Hermione and Ron told her about the puppy and Professor Snapes unusual reaction after all he did not take points off Griffindor at all this time.
Meanwhile Severus had taken the little white dog to his study and cleaned it up then used a potion to fix the little animals wounds and then materialized some food for it as he petted it gently.
Minerva told Albus about Severus's strange behaviour, for him that is and even Albus couldn't understand what came over Severus.
That Afternoon there was a Quidditch match between Slytherin and Griffindor, The Match was really wild as there was extra aggression showed by the Captain of the Slytherin team towards Griffindor. Marcus was somewhat sore at being what he thought was betrayed by his head of House and he "Accidentally" sent a blodger into the stands and hit Severus on the side of his head when he wasn't looking and Knocked him out. The little white puppy whined softly and tried to wake up the man but he was not successful.
The game was temporarily halted to see how badly hurt the professor was as he wasn't moving.
Severus was taken out on a stretcher with the little white pup running along beside him and taken to Madame Pomfrey.
Ron and Hermione decided to go over to the hospital wing to see how Professor Snape was as they felt it was indirectly their fault that he was hurt by that "accidental" blodger. They saw Harry who decided to go with them out of sheer Curiosity.
They found Professors McGonagall and Dumbledore there talking to Professor Severus Snape. The little white pup was sitting at the bottom of the bed.
Professor Dumbledore had decided to find out from Severus what was going on and why was he acting so odd for him.
Severus at first did not ant to say anything but it had been a nasty shock to see the little white pup hurt the way he was. "Okay Albus have you got your Pensive available?"
Albus said " I can have it here in a trice." with that he had got the Pensive delivered post haste to the hospital wing.
Severus looking a little pensive himself used his wand to sort out his memories and pulled one out and placed it in the Pensieve.
He swirled it around a little then with a deep breath he said "We will visit a memory from my Childhood, Yes Potter you, Miss Granger and Mr. Weasley may as well join us. With that the Thee adults and Three students leaned forward into the pensive and found themselves in Snapes childhood memory.
They found themselves in an old shabby looking house in what was known as Spinners End.
They saw a little boy, (obviously Professor Snapes younger self) not much more than 3 come in with the most darling little snow-white dog you could imagine. He went to his mother who was setting the table for supper and getting the meal ready. He showed her the dog and she went pale and told him to get it out of there. The little boys feelings were hurt, as he obviously didn't think he was doing anything wrong in bringing the little puppy in from outside.
The little boy turned around and started to go back out but he was too late. His mother gasped when his father came in and saw the puppy in the little boys arms.
Severus shook involuntarily as he watched and covered his eyes, Minerva put her arm around his shoulder and Albus did likewise. Harry, Hermione and Ron watched the scene unfold in front of them.
The father stared at the boy and roared "WHAT IS THAT THING DOING IN MY HOUSE?"
His Mother tried to step in front of the little boy and she was cruelly thrown to the side as the big man advanced on the quivering little three year old. He then yanked him and the little snow-white dog outside where he grabbed the little puppy from the little boys arms and threw it down into a hole in the yard. The boy was crying hard and his father slapped him hard till bloody welts appeared over his face and skinny little arms.
Abus and Minerva were holding onto Severus really tight now as they witnessed this horrible event unfold.
Harry and Hermione were both very pale and Ron felt as if he was going to be sick.
The boys mother had come out of the house and fought with her husband in front of their little boy who had struggled over to find his little friend who was in the deep hole not moving as the fall had broke the little guys neck.
Suddenly the memory ended, the group then left the pensive and found themselves returned to the hospital wing.
Severus ran from the Hospital wing after tearing away from the group whose sympathy he wished not to see. He raced to the dungeons and his now empty classroom before collapsing onto the floor and his hands were covering his face that had tears streaming down from having to relive that most painful childhood memory. After cautioning the trio that they must never reveal what they had seen in the pensieve, Albus and Minerva left the hospital wing and went down to the dungeon to find the distraut younger collegue. Once they found him the elderly witch knelt and pulled him close to her and wrapped her arms around him.
Now they knew why the Professor acted the way he did.