So here is the second chapter, I do so hope you will like it.
I would like to thank you for all the subscriptions and sweet reviews I have gotten, they have made me wear a huge smile these last couple of days.
I own nothing but my story and tribute all else to the great Rawling. I do not get paid any money for this in any way and ask for only reviews as my reward... :o)
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No matter how many times Snape took a bath he never felt clean. For months on end the only water he had seen was the cup he got with his sparse meals.
The prisoners were supposed to be allowed a bath each a week, but somehow his turn seldom came.
Now, not even when he had scrubbed his skin raw, did he feel like it was enough. His bathwater always seemed to have a slight red tinge to it when it was drained.
He was back living in the rooms at Hogwarts that had been his for so many years. But even though he had all of his things around him and slept in his own bed, he still woke up every night bewildered and wondering where he was.
He ate all his meals in his room. Partly because he had no wish to see anyone else, and partly because he ate every scrap of food as if it was the last, he could not seem to control himself. For too long he had been constantly hungry, and now it seemed like he could never get enough. More than once had he thrown up, and watched himself with self hatred in his mirror afterwards.
After a quick checkup by Pomfrey when he arrived at Hogwarts the only other person he had seen was McGonagall who made sure to come by at least once a day.
She was worried about him, but knew better than to voice her fears aloud. More than once had his breath reeked of firewhiskey, and after a a quick inquiry with the houselves of how many bottles that had been delivered to Snape she knew that something had to be done. She just wished she knew what.
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Snape woke up in the middle of the night startled by a scream, after a moment he realized it was his own. It had been the same nightmare as always.
He rose from the bed, threw on his robes and walked into the sitting room. He poured himself another glass of firewhiskey and swirled the liquid around, staring at it, seemingly mesmerized by the amber liquid.
He felt so restless. His rooms suddenly appeared smaller as if the walls were closing in on him as soon as he turned his back.
He threw the glass into the fireplace causing the fire to flare up for a second, and stalked out of his quarters.
He all but ran up the stairs leaving the dungeons behind.
He had to get air, it seemed like he could not draw a proper breath. He could feel his pulse racing and his chest constricting.
When he turned a corner, suddenly someone was in the way, someone who apparently did not see him and therefore proceeded to bounce off his chest and fall down on the floor in front of him.
"Oh goodness, I am so sorry, I was lost in my own thoughts, not that it happens seldom. But I should at least try to stay aware of that there is a world around me as well" a female voice said apologetically from the ground before the she rose up.
"...Professor Snape, it is you. Minerva told me that you were back. I had planned to come down to see you, but she said that I should wait a while, and..."
Snape held up his hand to silence her, and without a word he stepped around her and continued through the outer doors, slamming them shut behind him. Not stopping until he was out in the courtyard and the cold november air filled his lungs. He threw his head back and just breathed.
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Inside, having not moved an inch stood Hermione Granger, slightly dazed by literally running into her former professor.
Since hearing of his release she had looked forward to seeing him. She wished to tell him how grateful she was for all that he had done.
She had always respected the man, even though she might not have liked him. But after the war when she found out how great his role in her and her friends survival actually was, the respect had grown into admiration.
She realized that she had created a picture in her mind of who the real Severus Snape might have been all along, and now seeing the man in the flesh, she only saw the same man that he had appeared to be during her school years, that nothing really had changed.
He had looked at her as if she was no more than an annoyance, and apparently did not feel like she was even worth a single word of greeting. Or apology for that matter, he had ran into her just as much as she into him.
She should not have been surprised though. One of the reasons she had returned to Hogwarts was that nothing really seemed to change after the war in the wizarding world. It felt as if all that they had gone through should be forgotten as soon as possible so that things could get back to status quo. But for Hermione that had left what remained of her childhood years ago somewhere between being tortured and watching her friends die, things could never be the same again.
Irritated she turned around and walked back towards her quarters. Her sudden craving for a midnight snack had disappeared now.
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It was around noon that McGonagall knocked on Snapes door. When he did not answer, as usual, she just let herself in. A second afterwards a tea tray with two cups and some sandwiches appeared on the side table.
He was sitting in his sofa staring into the unlit fireplace. The shards of glass from last night had at some point been cleaned away by the houselves, Snape had not even noticed that they had been there.
"I see that you ordered us some tea, Minerva. I almost find it amusing that you feel like you have to have a reason for coming in here, disturbing me, when we both know you would barge in here no matter what.
You suppose that bringing food, an article you want me to read or the latest news among the faculty is showing me some respect while you check up on me. But it just makes your need for control seem even more silly. Why not just stand for what you are doing and get down to business.
You really should bring a sheet of points instead that you can tick off. Is he most likely drunk, check. Is he pissed off, check. Do I make him even more pissed off by coming in here at all hours, double check" Snape said while pretending to check off a list in the air with his wand.
"That was quite unnecessary Severus, you know I care about you. And remember that I have known you since you were an eleven year old handing in 12 feet essays to me that took me half the night to go though, you could not scare me off even if you tried."
After playing two sides in two different wars, Snape knew when a battle was lost and continued to stare into the fireplace.
"So, Severus. I heard you met Hermione last night. She said you bumped into each other while you were heading out for a stroll."
Severus looked at McGonagall incredulously: "Something tells me that is not exactly how she put it."
"Well, perhaps not quite." McGonagall conceded. "Could you please treat her with civility at least Severus, I think she was a bit hurt by your behaviour."
"What is the chit even doing here? Should she not be off enjoying the adoration of the masses as a third of the Golden trio? Or does Potter want all the attention for himself?"
McGonagall sighed and walked over to the side table and served the tea. After handing Snape a cup, and adding far too much sugar to her own she sank down next to him.
"A few months after the fall of Voldemort, Hermione contacted me and asked if she could get the seventh year curriculum in all subjects so that she could study enough to be able to sit her NEWTs. I think she needed something to concentrate on, and offered to help her with her studies. It had not yet been decided what would happen with Hogwarts and I guess I needed something to do as desperately as Hermione. She off course received Outstanding in all her subjects. But during our study lessons we spoke as much about life as we did the schoolwork, and I daresay we became friends. When we got the go ahead to build up the school again I asked her to come with me and become my apprentice. She always had a fascinating aptitude for Transfiguration. So now she is a part of the staff. She takes care of the transfiguration students up until the OWLs, and I take care of the NEWT students as much as I can between my headmaster obligations and building up the school again. I am not sure what I would do without her."
"But why would she want to leave her friends and the opportunities that she must have had as the brains of the Golden trio. Does she not have a family?" Snape asked in an annoyed tone.
"That is not my tale to tell, you will have to ask her if you are curious." McGonagall answered.
"Why would I ever be curious about what a former student does of her life, it just baffles me that someone would come here by choice. Had I any, this would hardly be it."
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Ok so that was the second chapter, what did you think?
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I like reviews better than I like Ben & Jerry´s Strawberry cheesecake ice cream, and let me tell you, that is a lot :o)
