Chapter 4: Unsuppressable

Everything hurt.

Hailey's vision was blurry when she first opened her eyes. "What happened?" she groaned.

"You passed out, Potter."

Hailey groaned again. Who was talking to her. Her head felt like of was being ripped to shreds. She couldn't focus on anything. "Who...?" she asked weakly.

She felt the cool metal of a cup placed on her lips. "Drink," somebody ordered. Hailey opened her mouth obediently and choked down the burning liquid. Immediatly, the pain lessened.

"Snape!" she shouted.

"There it is," Snape grumbled.

Hailey was fuming. "If you think I'm coming back for one more lesson after that, you are sadly mistaken, Snape," she spat. "Did you find what you were looking for?"

Snape sighed. "My apologies for causing you to pass out, but that wouldn't have happened if you had tried to shield."

"Shield? Shield? Are you serious?" Hailey snapped. "How am I supposed to frikin shield?"

"Calm down, Potter. Simply clear your mind and focus on pushing me out."

Hailey's hands seized into fists. She couldn't stop herself from shaking. "This is just because you hate me, isn't it?" Hailey asked.

"Contrary to popular belief, I do not actually hate you, Potter," Snape sneered.

"You're doing a real good job convincing me," Hailey said.

Hailey searched his face for any clue of what he may have seen. She was terrified that he might have discovered Ridley's secret, but at the same time, she desperately hoped he did. But what would he do? Hailey doubted he would even care. Maybe he would at least inform Dumbledore.

Hailey spun around to exit and fell over. Her muscles suddenly seemed drained of all energy. Snape rushed forward and caught her before her head made contact with the floor. "Potter, are you alright?"

Hailey looked into his unreadable eyes. "Please, don't ever do that to me again."

Something in his eyes changed. "I promise," Snape said.

When Hailey had looked into his eyes, it wasn't her anymore. It was Lily. Obviously, he was going to have a harder time than he thought controlling his emotions. It was nothing a little more firewhisky wouldn't solve.

Severus stepped into the fireplace and flooed to Albus's office. He was not looking forward to his report on Hailey's lesson. He pictured the brat roaming around through his things when she got the stregnth to walk again instead of just leaving. Nothing would stop him from cursing her into oblivion. This evening wasn't exactly going as planned.

"Ah, Severus," Albus greeted him. "Please, have a seat."

Severus sat down across from Albus. "Lemon drop?" the Headmaster offered.

Severus stared warily at the bowl before declining. "Albus, why can't you teach Potter?"

Albus sighed. "Now, Severus, we've been over this."

"If you think that this is going to make us understand each other more, then you have never seen the way we aggravate each other. Albus, she is Lily, and I don't know how to handle it."

The Headmaster's eyes twinkled mischievously. "Then don't try."

"You want a report on the lesson, I presume?" Dumbledore nodded. "The girl is a natural at suppressing memories. She even has the ability to pass out as one of her defense mechanisms."

"Pass out, Severus?" Dumbledore asked, worried.

Severus nodded gravely. "Albus, that girl is hiding something, and if I am going to get anywhere with her, I need to know what it is."

Albus stared down at his hands. "Then find out."

Hailey stood up shakily. Curse Snape for doing this to her. She hated him more every time she saw him.

She wandered around the room, looking through his drawers. She didn't know why she was doing it, other than the fact that she was so incredibly angry. She wanted to get back at him.

Her eyes fell on a pensieve. She had seen one of those before. 'What memories had Snape been examining,' she wondered.

In a moment of madness that she would later question, Hailey dipped her face inside.

She was carried away to a Hogwarts many years in the past. When she saw the young Snape, she almost laughed aloud. He looked exactly like the bitter professor she knew.

She followed him around for a bit. She kept waiting for him to call to a friend, but he never did. It almost made her sad, but she was sure he had a good reason.

Hailey followed him past a group of boys when one suddenly called out to him, calling him "Snivellous", and hexed him. Her mouth dropped open in shock. What had just happened?

She watched the scene with growing unease until she heard a name that was only too familiar. Potter. The man tormenting Snape was none other than her father.

She couldn't believe she hadn't recognized the marauders at first. Maybe she had, but she hadn't wanted to believe it was them. Even as they hung Snape upside down, she still didn't want to believe.

A face Hailey would've recognized anywhere marched up to James. "Mum!" Hailey cried out. Even though she knew it was no use, she tried to embrace her.

"Leave him alone!" she shouted.

Hailey felt a single tear run down her cheek as she watched Lily defend Snape from James. "You were always such a good mum," Hailey said, even though she knew Lily couldn't here. "Why did you have to leave me and Ridley? You could have lived, and I would have banished Voldemort, and we could have grown up with someone who loved us! Why?"

But Hailey knew the answer. Lily did what she had to. So did James. And Ridley. "Why does everyone make sacrifices for me?" she demanded.

Hailey barely flinched when Snape called Lily a mudblood. She had heard the word so much that it didn't bother her, but Lily was obviously deeply affected. Hailey rubbed her face and was supprised that her cheeks were wet.

"Who wants to see me take Snivellous's pants off?" James asked.

A hand clamped over Hailey's shoulder. "Having fun, Potter?" Snape spat. He dragged her out of the memory and threw her against the wall. "Get out Potter!" he screamed.

Hailey sprinted towards the door, avoiding breaking jars. She threw herself into the doorway, but the door was locked. She was trapped.

She couldn't bring herself to blame Snape for what happened next.

"Legillimens!" he screamed.

Hailey felt her mind be torn apart once more. This time, with her emotions spiralling out of control, she couldn't suppress as strongly. Snape easily ripped through her defenses at her secrets.

Hailey was forced to watch memory after memory of Ridley being beaten to protect her. She saw blood and bruises and broken bones and remembered each one. And she hated herself so much for letting Ridley take the fall for all those years, even if Ridley never gave her the choice. Hailey screamed at the intense pain.

When Snape had enough, he gently pulled out of her mind. Hailey broke down and started sobbing. The pain (emotional and physical) was too much for her.

Snape dropped a box of tissues in her lap and sat behind her, gently rubbing her back. "Don't hate yourself. I'm so sorry."

"You were just lashing out at me, like I was at you. It was a never-ending chain."

"Lily," Snape said gently, "I mean, Hailey. Why didn't you tell anyone?"

"Ridley insisted," Hailey said . "I'm a terrible sister, I know."

"You aren't," Snape insisted. For a moment, Hailey wondered if he cared for her, but she doubted it. She never would have guessed Snape had any affection towards her mother.

"I think we need to see the Headmaster," Snape suggested.

"Okay," Hailey said, sniffling. "You know, I was kinda hoping you would find out."

"I'm sure you were."

Severus was having quite the evening. First, the Potter girl had passed out on him. Then, she invaded his pensieve and discovered all the torment he was trying to keep secret. But any thoughts of her spreading it around the school dissapeared as he witnessed the abuse Ridley and Hailey suffered.

"Severus? Oh, Hailey, what's wrong?" Albus asked.

Hailey buried her face in her hands. "You tell him."

Severus sighed. "Albus, did you ever suspect that the Dursley's wouldn't treat the Potter girls as you had hoped?"

Albus bit his lip in worry. "I could tell that they loved the girls less, but they had each other. They've both told me they were perfectly happy."

"They lied," Severus said bluntly. "The girls have both been severely abused. Ridley took most of it, but I sense Hailey did not totally escape."

Hailey nodded her head. Severus felt a pang in his heart, proof that his love for Lily could still overpower his hate for James, even after his heart hardened like stone. "The girls will not be returning there. Ever."

Albus nodded. "I wouldn't dream of it." A tear worked it's way down his cheek. He was taking it hard. "Hailey, I'm so sorry. Forgive me?"

"There's nothing to forgive," Hailey said. "You did exactly what I wanted you too."

Severus took Hailey out into the hallway. "Don't pretend that you like me now," Hailey said. "I know you just like my mum."

Severus raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

Hailey smirked. "Girls are better at reading emotions," she said.

"But they're worse at controlling them," Severus remarked.

"Hey!" Hailey said, a small laugh escaping her.

Severus kneeled down to her level. "Listen, Po- Hailey, I want you and Ridley to come spend Christmas with me if Sirius isn't back yet. I made a promise to your mother to keep you safe, and I feel as if I'm failing."

Hailey frowned. "You hate me."

"Hailey, I am a Death Eater spy. I act sympathetic towards you, and I promise you the Dark Lord will hear of it."

"Well, alright," Hailey said. "Where will we go in the summer?"

"With me," Severus said instantly.

"You're positive?" Hailey asked.

"I swear it," Severus promised. "Hailey, will you forgive me for my actions earlier?"

"I never blamed you," Hailey said, surprisingly. "Forgive me for looking in your pensieve?"

"I already have."

'Thank goodness she looks so much like her mother,' Snape thought as she walked away. 'There may still be hope for me.'

Ridley alone waited in the common room for her sister to return. When Hailey entered, it was obvious that she had been crying. "Hailey," Ridley whispered.

The sisters embraced tightly. "I'm so sorry, Rid," Hailey said. "I didn't mean too."

Ridley felt her stomach drop. "Shh, it's okay. I never expected you to be able to keep that secret."

Hailey pulled away first. "Snape told Dumbledore. Ridley, I don't think they're going to press charges, but we don't have to go back ever again."

"Where will we stay?" Ridley asked.

"You're not going to believe me, but I think Snape wants to be nice to us."

Ridley thought back to Snape's behavior earlier. He encouraged her to keep her chin up, no matter what. But he had been drinking...

"Snape loved our mum," Hailey said.

Well, that explained alot.

"He said we could stay with him."

Ridley never got the feeling that Snape liked her, but she kept her head down in class and he never gave her any trouble. "The two of you will constantly be at each other's throats. Especially if he's completely sober."

"True," Hailey said. "And even though I don't fully like him, I trust him. He's doing this for Mum, not us. Otherwise, I wouldn't trust him as far as I could throw him. Also, I accidentally saw one of his childhood memories, and I can't bring myself to really hate him anymore."

"Wherever you go, I'll follow."

"That's good, seeing as I'm doing this for you."