When I wake, the light from a morning sun streams through the grimy windows. There is blood on the wall where my head slammed the night before. As I push myself up, my wrist hurts from where he grabbed me. I walk haltingly towards the bathroom door, push it open, and vomit blood and whatever food I had not yet digested from supper the night before. After swishing water around in my mouth and trying hard not to look at myself in the mirror, I walk slowly up the stairs to see if my mum is still home. Finding her to be absent, I sit on the top step of the stairs and ponder my situation.
My head hurts fit to burst, and so does my wrist. My stomach is throbbing where he kicked me, and my jaw hurts from where he punched me. He opened up some of the scabs on my back when he threw me against the wall. I know I ought to go to St. Mungo's, but I was just there a couple weeks ago and if I go too often then they'll know and my dad will be angry and my mum will be scared and I will get beaten again and and and
But then again, they told me if my head gets hit again they needed to see me. Something about permanent brain damage.
I will go to Knockturn Alley and see if my mum can take me to St. Mungo's. Upon finding no more food in the cabinets than I found yesterday, I begin my walk to the park. Many years ago, when my dad started drinking and being mean, mum and I hid a small stash of floo powder inside of a hollow pole on the playground for me to use if I ever needed to get to her quickly. Lately, I have needed to use it more and more often.
Upon arriving at the park, I hear a familiar voice, "Sev! I was hoping you'd come! I've been wanting to ask you… Sev, you look terrible! What happened?" Lily exclaimed.
My father is a monster and he almost killed me "Nothing. I just need to go to St. Mungo's. I hit my head falling down the stairs"
"Is your mum at work?"
"Yeah"
"Well, come on to my house! My mum and I will take you!"
"No, it's fine. I can go with my mum. Just let me check…" my voice trails away as I reach my hand into the pole and bring up an empty bag, "It's gone. The floo powder is gone and I can't get to my mum and I gotta go to St. Mungo's or I won't be able to take the potion for my head and I can't get there and and and" my heart is beating faster and faster and I am breathing too fast too fast I can't breathe I can't I can't
"Sev, you're scaring me! Stop it! Come with me! Hold my hand so you don't fall down!"
The walk to Lily's house takes longer than yesterday. When we get there, Lily screams for her mother. Lady starts barking. The sound causes my ears to ring and my head to hurt. I cover my ears, but the ringing doesn't go away.
"Stop it!" I shout. It just slipped out. I couldn't control it, but in my pain and panic, I don't even notice how affronted she looks.
"Lily, what's going on? Severus! Oh my goodness, sweetheart, what happened?!" Lily's mother says as she runs into the front hall.
"Sev's hurt! We gotta take him to the doctor!"
"No! They'll cut me open and hurt me! I can't go there I can't!" my breathing and heart beat are intensifying again my head is light I can't breathe my face is beginning to tingle I can't stop I can't stop
When I wake, I am on a cushioned table. I am clothed in a hospital gown. My breathing and heart rate are normal again. A low, soft voice is speaking. Mrs. Evans' voice responds. I cannot tell what they are saying. When I try to move, something pulls at my right arm. Upon looking up, I see a machine with a bag of liquid, and a tube attached to my arm. I knew the doctor would cut me open! I begin to struggle against the tubes and machine, trying to pull it out!
"Sev, stop! You'll hurt yourself!" Lily's voice resonates from the corner of the room. Upon looking over at her, I see that she is curled into a tight ball on a hard little chair. I can't let them hurt her too!
"Lily, you have to get out of here! They're gonna cut you up and put you on a machine, too!"
"Severus Snape, don't be so silly! Doctors are here to help you! That's an IV you're hooked up to, and it's giving you… water? I don't remember what the nurse said, but it's helping you! She said that you were really dehydrated and malnourished! You only weigh 40 pounds!"
"What? My mum always said that muggle doctors cut you up and do experiments on you! She said everybody knows that. She told me to only ever go to St. Mungo's, 'cause the healers there are good!" I explain. Just then, a man in a white coat and Mrs. Evans enter the room. I flinch away from the doctor as he comes over to check the tubes on my arm.
After I am discharged, I go back with Lily and her mother. The ride home is silent. They seem shocked. The doctor gave Mrs. Evans a diet sheet to give to my mother, to help me gain weight. Before I left, he told me that if I didn't gain weight, my bones would be very weak, and I would not grow like I should. He also said that my insides wouldn't work as well as somebody who weighed enough. He said that when I start eating enough, I won't be so tired all the time, and my thinking won't be so cloudy. Along with the diet sheet, he gave Mrs. Evans strict instructions to pass along to my mum: I was not to do any reading, be in any direct light, be around loud noises, or experience any sudden movements. He said my brain was bruised and needed time to heal up, otherwise I might never be able to think quite right again.