Chapter 4: Too many injuries…
Speaking of those awkward questions, I knew Poppy would run a full diagnostic spell on me – while I was in a cooperative mood. I could see her eyes widen as she got the results back; a piece of parchment nearly twice my arm's length – then I realised it was double sided.
"Severus, as much as I like this silent you; I do miss that cutting tongue of yours." I could feel my tongue stitching itself back together in my mouth, it was easier to breath although it was no less painful.
"Thankyou."
"Snape, I know you don't want to discuss this but why didn't you block this?"
"I wasn't expecting that incompetent fool to know an extinct dark curse and with such fierce anger behind it."
"Didn't expect it? But you're trained…"
"Just because I'm trained does not mean that I don't have human tendencies." She knew what I was saying.
"You went into shock?"
"I don't remember; I remember talking theory and pain but nothing in the middle. There was something in the middle, wasn't there?"
"Yes, you not defending yourself from an evil spell that opened every old wound you've ever had; and then akin to putting salt and acid in all of them at once."
"That would explain the pain."
"Yes it would; now which of these injuries are before Hogwarts, and I want dates if they're to be filed properly."
"Too many." I whispered.
"I'm sorry?"
"Too many injuries Poppy! I try to forget, I don't want to remember!" I turned away from her, tucking myself into a small ball, I wasn't fully aware that she hadn't gone as I began crying – which was something I hadn't done since I was fifteen.
"Severus why did he do these things?"
"Who?"
"I'd assume your father. Didn't he like magic?"
"He didn't like anything much."
"Lily knew didn't she?"
"She guessed, you guessed; McGonagall guessed. Only I knew."
"What made him whip you?"
"Accidental magic, I was four I think; he was drunk kept on hitting mother to much screaming, pain; it hurt to hear. I wanted to sleep, so I made him stop."
"You killed your father when you were four?"
"What? NO! I just sent him to sleep for a bit."
"I remember you saying he had died but I couldn't…"
"Sixteen, Poppy. It was natural causes or as close as alcohol poisoning can be anyway."
"And what happened to your mother?"
"The last pureblood Prince. Suicide, five." The hospital wing door slammed open as a rather irate McGonagall stormed past my bed and came to a stop next to Pomfrey. There was no noise as they whispered discreetly to each other, I didn't try to hear until the medi-witch noticeably paled.
"Minerva what have you said to Poppy that makes her look like she needs to sit down?"
"I didn't realise you were still here Severus."
"Clearly. I apologise for interrupting your meeting but the question remains," I caught a small nod from Pomfrey, apparently giving the Transfigurations Professor permission to continue.
"Albus refuses to fire Lockhart, he seems to be implying that you provoked him."
"Who? Albus or the fool?" there was a little chuckle beside Minerva – who smiled slightly also.
"The fool of course, now I know you didn't provoke him since you were talking theory; but why didn't you defend yourself?"
"Went into shock." There was a minutes silence as the information sunk in.
"You went into shock?" Minerva wasn't particularly quiet about this piece of news.
"Yes, now keep your voice down, headache." This comment was completely ignored by the Gryffindor head, who continued yelling as if her life depended on it.
"But your Severus Snape, you do not do into shock, ever, and most certainty not during a duel."
"Sometimes I think people forget I'm human." I sighed before looking at Professor McGonagall and Madame Pomfrey,
"Particularly the students from your houses."
"What do you mean the students in our houses?"
"And I don't have a house."
"Let me simplify this for you both, the Hufflepuff's think me a vampire; the Gryffindor's think me some heartless bat-like git who would gladly use them as potions ingredients."
"What about your snakes and Ravenclaw's?"
"My house know that I can get extremely anger at very short notice and the Ravenclaw's are sensible enough to not push me; since all four houses know from experience that I am not a pleasant person."
"I take it there is a difference between heartless and being a pleasant individual."
"Of course there is! Everyone has bad days including the headmaster; it's just I'm tired of being evil." Clearly the headmaster had heard my whining voice; as he thundered through the hospital wing doors which slammed against the walls, somehow shaking the portraits that lined those same walls.
"Your tired of being evil?! Then it's simple isn't it Severus?" I looked at Dumbledore doubtfully, my true lord was having an off day.
"Is it?"
"Yes, just don't be evil."
"But it's not that easy," I could feel myself losing the edge on reality; my voice and mask where cracking.
"Did I say simple was easy?"
