Chapter 3

"There are wounds that never show on the body that are deeper and more hurtful than anything that bleeds."

Laurell K. Hamilton, Mistral's Kiss

At the same time at Hogwarts:

Severus Snape massaged his temple and began again to count the wooden panels on the ceiling in a desperate attempt to suppress the desire to kill his superior and should this teachers' meeting last any longer he would not only slaughter his superior but also the entire college.

He grinned slightly at the thought, and then grimaced as a terrible pain shot through his body and his magic flared up.

He shrieked from his thoughts when someone hit him in the forearm. He looked sluggishly to his right and looked at his colleague Minerva McGonagall and raised one of his eyebrows.

»If you keep that grin on your face when the school year starts again, the students will find themselves in a row in the hospital. «

Severus turned up his nose.

»I have no idea what you're talking about, madame. But if this should actually be the case, it would only be a matter of luck. Fewer cretins that can wreck my classroom. Especially your lion cubs seem to have a fable for making chaos wherever they go and stand. «

»Your Slytherins aren't any better. Young Malfoy is

nothing more than a spoiled brat. «

»Madame. «

Severus voice was so cold that it ran cold on his back

»I would be most grateful if you could keep your prejudices to yourself and not bother me with it. «

Minerva grimaced

»It was clear that you are incapable of admitting that your Slytherins are not perfect, as you always prefer them. «

»Kids, kids. No need to argue. It's the holidays and you have the next four weeks off. Be at peace. «

Professor Vector grinned gloatingly

»You're like a cat and a dog. You should be careful. One of you two will soon say something that cannot be taken back. «

»Shut up, Vector. You're no better than Sibyl. «

Severus rolled his eyes and took another sip of whiskey and massaged his chest which had already contracted painfully throughout the morning and caused him worse pain than every round of Crucio he ever had had to suffer.

He tipped down his drink in one go and enjoyed the burning in his throat and the subsequent warmth in his stomach area.

He poured himself another drink and massaged his temple, while he tried again in vain to concentrate on the conversation, so he did not notice how Albus sent the college on their well-deserved vacation and only when he put his hand on his shoulder did he scare up and looked up at his mentor.

»Severus, my boy. Are you all right? "Usually you'd be the first one to steam off

here. «

Just as he was about to give an answer, everything inside him contracted. His bones were burning, he couldn't breathe and his vision was blurring.

»Severus. «

He felt someone grab his shoulder and shake him, but he was unable to answer.

»Severus. Can you hear me? «

The last thing he heard was the worried voice of his mentor.

The next time Severus woke up it was already dark and the pain gave way to a dull throbbing.

Laboriously he sat up and drove through his dark hair. When nausea had subsided, he carefully swung his legs over the edge of the bed.

At this very moment, however, Poppy Pomfrey came in.

»Oh, no, my dear. You stay put. «

»Poppy. «

Growled Severus

»Don't touch me or I'll remove your hand permanently. «

»Are you aware of the horror you have caused me, young man? And not just me. You should have seen Albus when he came here with you. The poor man was beside himself. That's not good at his age, I'll tell you that. «

Severus, who, although reluctant got back to bed, stuffed himself with a pillow behind his back.

»What actually happened? «

»We can discuss this when Albus arrives. He asked me to get back to him when you wake up. Now eat something, you need the strength. «

With these words, the nurse placed a tray with soup in his lap.

Even though Severus preferred to put the nurse in her place, his growling stomach thwarted his calculation and he silently went after the soup.

When Severus was ordering seconds from one of the elves on duty in the hospital wing, Albus Dumbledore entered the room.

"Severus, my boy. Am I glad to see you awake again. You wouldn't believe what I cared about you. Don't you ever do that to me again. I'm an old man and I can't take this stress as well as I did then I was younger. «

But Severus just gobbled up his food. Only when the plate was empty did he answer.

»I've been telling you that for years, old man. Get yourself a tombstone. «

»I'd rather leave that to you, and who knows, maybe I'll come back as a ghost and keep you company in the long run. «

»Don't you dare. . . «

At that moment Poppy came in and the two men turned to the Medi-Witch.

They both asked the same question: What had happened?

»I'm afraid I can't tell you exactly what happened. What I do know, however, is that someone is tapping into Severus' magic. I can't tell you exactly how someone does it, but I know that he or she doesn't have an exact plan how it works because otherwise you would either be dead or you wouldn't have noticed it. Which is the real problem, however, that your magic is still being tapped. Not as extreme as this afternoon, but still strong enough to affect you. The appetite, the dizziness and also the use of magic should be harder for you. At least until we figure out how to fix the problem. «

The two men had listened to the Medi-witch with concern. Accessing someone else's magic usually had something to do with blood magic. Usually one tied a witch or magician to oneself in order to be able to fall back on the magic of the other at will. However, this only worked in one direction, which usually led to the death of the one who donated the magic, mostly involuntarily.

However, there was another alternative. In old pure-blood families, the children made a covenant with their parents shortly after birth, so that if something happened to the child through the magic of one or both parents could secure the child's life. Depending on how strong the bond between parents and child was, this bond also made it possible that you always knew where the child was and how it was doing, if the bond was particularly strong, it was even possible to communicate telepathically with each other and to convey memories similar to snapshots of each other.

Concerned, the three remained silent for a moment, then Albus said.

»I don't think its blood magic; these rituals are particularly painful to the donor and always leave a mark. «

Albus looked Severus firmly in the eyes

»That leaves only one conclusion. You have a child and it consciously or unconsciously taped into your magic and as it did I would dare to say that it did this to save his or her life. «

With trembling hands, Severus ran his hands over his face before looking at Albus and Poppy in horror.

»I'm sure I'd know if I had a child. «

Poppy grinned amusedly

»I wouldn't be so sure. I don't even want to know what you've done in your Savage Years. Maybe there was a one-night stand and when she realized she was pregnant she had no way to reach you.«

Horrified silence.

"People are afraid of themselves, of their own reality; their feelings most of all. People talk about how great love is, but that's bullshit. Love hurts. Feelings are disturbing. People are taught that pain is evil and dangerous. How can they deal with love if they're afraid to feel? Pain is meant to wake us up. People try to hide their pain. But they're wrong. Pain is something to carry, like a radio. You feel your strength in the experience of pain. It's all in how you carry it. That's what matters. Pain is a feeling. Your feelings are a part of you. Your own reality. If you feel ashamed of them, and hide them, you're letting society destroy your reality. You should stand up for your right to feel your pain."

Jim Morrison