A/N: Hey, this is a weird fanfic i decided to do after a night of watching medical drama...So this is in an AU where Severus survives Nagini, but the poison damaged his lungs and he now has severe asthma...He is still headmaster of hogwarts and a not-so-small accident happens when he goes to king's cross station to get back to hogwarts! OoOoOoh! This takes place 5 years after voldy's death. Sev tries to keep his secrets, but the rumors spread and some students are starting to care for him... Also, my OC Hailey is here, and shes a slytherin (yay sneks!) and Hannah Abott is her older sister. She looks a bit different from the rest of her family lol.

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, and this is a generalized portrayal of hospitals, so please don't get offended, I'm not ridiculing anyone or anything in this fic. Also, it's my personal opinion that Severus has some kind of mental illness and I am only using a GENERALIZED PORTRAYAL, so DO NOT fight about it in reviews.

PLS REVIEW AFTER READING OR I'LL DIE :( (No, ngl your opinions are appreciated, and pls take the time to review after you read, so I can improve this fic! THX!)

1. Trapped Secrets

It seemed like a normal day for Severus Snape. The only thing on his mind was making it back to Hogwarts after the Christmas break, or else Hogwarts students would spin up rumours about why their usually punctual headmaster was late to return. He tried to ignore curious stares as he crossed a muggle street, and a toddler pointed and squeaked at Severus. Muggles. He thought bitterly. They get riled up at the slightest sign of strangeness. Cars zoomed by, adding their honks to the din. Severus grinded his teeth to ignore the noise and car exhaust, when his chest suddenly tightened. What? Surely his asthma couldn't be acting up now! Severus panicked. Nagini was determined to kill him till her very end, and today was the day it would happen! Severus had left almost all his antidote potions back at Hogwarts, but his windpipe was still tightening and he was struggling to breathe... Severus collapsed wheezing heavily, unable to move, only focused on getting enough oxygen to last a journey back to Hogwarts, but it was getting increasingly hard...Passers by stopped and asked if Severus was okay, but he couldn't breathe properly, let alone talk...He heard a voice shout "Call 911! I don't have a phone on me!" But his body decided to inconveniently give up, and Severus was falling unconscious...

Severus' eyes blinked open, suddenly. He was apparently in a muggle hospital, and someone was beside him, too..."Potter?" Severus spat in surprise, but he didn't respond. He looked steely and somber, much unlike the feisty (And arrogant) Potter he always knew. "Where am I?" Severus croaked, because being trapped inside a muggle hospital when you're SUPPOSED to return to Hogwarts on time wasn't the best thing you could ask for. Here he was, trapped and attached to a dozen tubes like a dying animal, while Hogwarts was miles away and McGonagall was probably wondering where Severus is, having missed the Hogwarts express. "When can I LEAVE, Potter? Muggle drugs have no effect on Nagini's venom, you know that!" Severus hissed anxiously. Potter was the only wizard he knew and could rely on in this muggle world, having reconciled with him a bit after Voldemort died because it was him after all, who had saved Severus from Nagini. "I don't know, sir. I want to leave this place too...But we don't want having to use magic and causing a big ruckus in an innocent place! And it seems ironic that you want to violate the Statute of Secrecy when you yelled at me about it 12 years ago!" Potter joked. Severus rolled his eyes. Great. Now Potter was the king of jokes and sarcasm, not him. His bitter thoughts were interrupted, however by the muggle nurse strolling primly to his bed. "Mr, um what's his name?" She asked quizzically. "Snape. Severus Snape." Severus croaked. "Ok, Mr Snape, I'm afraid we don't have good news. Or even normal news. Your test results showed your bloodstream is infected with...unusual chemicals. It looks like some kind of snake venom, but it is unlike anything we've seen before. And telling from the position and look from the snakebite, this venom has been in your system for five...years." She declared grimly. Should I tell her the truth? Severus thought. No. Telling her the truth about Nagini would need him to tell the truth about magic, and he would probably be thrown in psych for that. How can he tell the nurse without telling her about his true identity? There was no way. Severus realized. I would have to tell her sooner or later. Suddenly the nurse spoke again. "And Mr. Potter, since you were the only person who knew him and was also present at that...scene, does Severus have any direct parents, or children we can contact? She asked. "No. His parents died and he has no kids, but I'm his...student at school and we knew each other well." Potter stammered, looking a little shy. Knew each other well? That was an understatement. Potter tried to find out all of my secrets! He sneered to himself, amused.

"Hey Ron, Hermione." He greeted his old friend back at Grimmauld place. "You need to follow me, quick. Snape apparently has asthma from Nagini's bite, he just had a serious attack and now he's landed himself in a muggle hospital!" Harry panted. "WHAT?" Hermione screamed. "Oh god." Ron muttered. "No blabbering, we need to come NOW. I can't be the only one to keep an eye on him, and he can't risk leaking his magic to muggles! Let's Apparate there." Harry barked. Ron and Hermione held his hands and they turned, vanishing on the spot.

"Okay, where's Snape?" Ron asked once they arrived. "There." Harry replied, steering them to the frail figure attached to about a dozen tubes. His skin looked more pale than usual, and Harry could see bones jutting out of Snape's cheeks. "He looks bloody horrible." Ron muttered, with Hermione nudging him in the ribs. "P-professor Snape?" Hermione asked nervously. "What happened?" "No. Why would you want to know?" He rasped. "Just tell us. There's no harm telling! This place is full of Muggles anyway." Ron said casually. "Fine. I needed to g-get back to Hogwarts, but I didn't make...it..." Severus stuttered, but to Harry and Hermione's utter surprise Severus suddenly burst out wheezing, twitching uncontrollably. "The...Antidote...in...my...robes.." Remembering where the antidote was Severus managed to choke up even as he struggled to breathe. "Accio Asthma Antidote!" Harry whispered, and a grey-tinted bottle soared into his hands. "Quick, before the nurse finds out!" Hermione hissed, as Harry jammed the bottle into Severus' mouth. A greyish liquid trickled down his throat, making wisps of frost blow out of his mouth. Severus stopped wheezing, but at that moment the muggle nurse bustled into view. "What happened? I heard he just had an attack." She panted, and Harry hid the bottle of antidote just in time. "It...stopped." Hermione lied through her teeth. "Oh, good, because I've also got some news, and questions. First of all news. None of the drugs we've been trying seem to work on Severus. The snake venom seems to have poisoned his lungs to a degree so much that even detox procedures couldn't get it out of his system. Do you have any additional information about the snake, its type, or when he was bitten? That can help us come up with a quicker diagnosis." She enquired. "No. We found him after he was bitten. The snake bit his neck and maybe the venom 'infected' his lungs if that's what you mean." Harry explained, confused.

The nightmares. They were happening. First it was Lily breaking up with him, storming away into the Gryffindor common room... next it was her death, her lifeless body in the broken bedroom at Godric's hollow...Then it was his near-death encounter with Nagini, the snake reducing his neck to a mangled mess...Get out of it! He snapped inwardly, but the nightmares felt like a whirlwind, tightening and suffocating him-"ACK!" Someone choked. Wait. This isn't in this dream. A distant thought popped into Severus' mind. He was jerked back to consciousness, but he couldn't sleep anymore. Potter and his friends had long since disappeared somewhere, and the patient beside him was violently spurting blood from her mouth. Sheets were dyed crimson red, and a team of doctors arrived on the scene. "Stop." Severus hissed, and before the doctors or the patient could react Severus pulled out his wand, jerked it, pulling a wad of phlegm and blood out of the choking patient's throat. To the doctor's utter astonishment Severus vanished the slime lazily, the patient's breathing calmed, with the shocked doctors gawking at him like Severus was insane. "What's with the gawking? Are you still doctors or do I need to send YOU to psych?" He sneered, smirking. "What? Wizard...In...our...hospital..." Patients muttered. "So what? It's not like wizards only appear once every century." Severus snapped irritably. Some doctors were still fuming about Severus' clever retort, but Severus ignored them.

Another crazy day. First accidents, now THIS. Severus grumbled inwardly. Apparently news had leaked out that Severus Snape had gotten sick, so now hoards of muggle fans were fighting doctors and guards to get in the asthma ward. "We wanna SEE him!" A girl wailed. "Really, if you have any respect for the patients you'd let them rest and heal, or do you want to be killing people?" Doctors snapped irritably, but they were getting overwhelmed by the hoards of fans. "How are you, Sevvy?" More girls simpered, making Severus shudder and grimace. It was vital to hold in and not have an attack right in front of these girls. Then there'd be a riot. Severus thought grimly, even though he could feel his windpipe tightening and another attack building up. Finally the girls burst through the first barricade of doctors, but there was another line of guards guarding the asthma ward, and Severus could feel the other patients stare luridly at him. Great. Now my reputation here is just about ruined. Finally he could stand it no longer, and he yelled "STUPEFY!" While pointing his wand, so that swarms of fans were blasted back. Police were arriving on the scene, but before anyone could restrain the hoards of relentless fans they burst into the asthma ward, and the police's yelling were added to the din. I have to get out of here! Severus panicked, and before anyone could stop him, he ripped out the tubes attached to him, magically switched into his black robes, and jumped out the hospital window.

Severus spread his cloak as soon as he jumped and the he soared higher and higher, until the rowdy fans were left well behind. This might be the only useful thing that Voldemort taught me, Severus thought, amused. He landed on the hospital roof, Disapparating to Hogsmeade.

Severus appeared at the snowy town, filled with lively shoppers and chatty Hogwarts students. He did his best to stay out of sight, but third-years whispered and stared curiously at him. Dunderhead students! Do you really need to get riled up at the slightest sign of something strange? And to be honest, it's nice to be out of the dungeons. He sneered at himself. He also scanned the town for any underage students trying to sneak into Honeydukes, as Potter had done when he went to Hogwarts. What is it with students and sweets? Couldn't they just control their sweet tooth a bit? Severus fumed. Personally he had always hated sugar, and he would rather kiss someone than eat the strange Honeydukes sweets. He slipped inside the shop and almost bumped into a tiny Slytherin. "I will allow no underage students at Hogwarts." Snape hissed icily, "You will come with me, Miss Abott." He escorted the tiny First-Year out of the shop, back into Hogwarts.

"But why can't I go to Hogsmeade, professor Snape?" Hailey Abott squeaked at Snape's office. "That isn't really your concern, is it?" Severus sneered. "I didn't want to break any rules, but my sister Hannah told me how awesome Hogsmeade is, and I heard that Harry Potter snuck in and he got away with it..." She mumbled. "Just because that BRAT got away with it doesn't mean you can!" Severus snarled. "Many an older student uses the Hogsmeade joke shop to prank students such as yourself? Do you really want to risk waking up under the influence of a Love potion, fawning over someone you used to hate, all for some candies? What self-control do you have?" Severus snapped. "Well, I guess that doesn't seem like a good thing to happen, but think about all the wonderful sweets they have at Honeydukes'!" Hailey squeaked, looking hopeful. Dunderhead Second-years! Severus grumbled inwardly. "Do you have ANY self-control when you make your decisions?" Severus snapped. "Just get a friend to buy then for you instead! Twenty points from Slytherin and be grateful it isn't more, and detention with me tomorrow, five o'clock." Hailey looked defiant and ran out of Severus' office. Just in time too. The attack Severus had been holding in since he escaped from the muggle hospital exploded out of him, and Severus doubled over, wheezing. Barely making it to his desk he managed to gulp down the last of the antidote potion he had, saving his neck just in time. No one can know about this. Not even Minerva. Severus decided. He has enough to worry about as hogwarts headmaster and besides, not every student believed his secrets. Especially Gryffindors. Most of them didn't believe his secrets, and thought that he used Harry Potter to get more attention for himself. How could Severus do that, though? JAMES Potter was the attention-seeking one, not him. He had to find a way to solve this...

Hailey was feeling nervous, very nervous. She was afraid to have lost her house so many points, but that wasn't the elephant in the room. Snape is. Hailey had been so afraid when she ran out of his office that she didn't notice the wheezing noise behind her. She had suspected it was a student's prank to scare her, but it sounded like a person...Did Snape have asthma? Hailey wondered. No. The snarky headmaster didn't seem like the person to show weakness in front of anyone. But Hailey felt that something was going to go wrong, even if she wasn't a seer. I guess I'll just have to wait and see. Hailey decided.

Get a grip on yourself! Severus thought, pacing around his old potions classroom the next day, waiting for Hailey. His asthma was triggered by dust or strong fumes, and he knew that. If Hailey were to mess up her detention potion it would kill Severus, without an antidote, at least. He was snapped out of his nervous mood by a black-haired girl with bright blue eyes slipping into his potions classroom. Hailey. "Ah. Miss Abott." Severus sneered. "Today you will be redoing the Sleeping Draught that you miserably failed in your class with Slughorn." "Yes sir." Hailey mumbled, feeling more nervous. "You have an hour and a half to brew this potion, the ingredients and tools are on one of the student's desks and the instructions are on the blackboard, go." Severus ordered. Thinking that this should be done as quickly as possible, Hailey set to work.

Severus kept a close eye on Hailey while she worked, watching her every move. Hailey seemed to be doing fine until..."Dunderhead! You were supposed to add FOUR Valerian sprigs, not FIVE! Now that potion's going to explode!" Severus snarled, baring his teeth. "But professor Snape...it's just one more sprig, does that really make a difference?" Hailey whined. Severus was just about to vanish the cauldron when-BOOM. The potion exploded out of its cauldron, splattering them both in slime. "Now look at what you've done! Potionmaking is a precise and fine art, the smallest mistake could cause something like...this!" Snape sputtered, wiping himself and the classroom clean with a vanishing charm. But something was happening...asthma. Again. He had refused to take the potions professor job after Voldemort died because of this same reason: He can't brew properly anymore. Before he could think more about this however, his chest got too tight and he collapsed again, gasping for breath. Hailey tried to catch the sick professor in her arms, but she was too shocked and they both fell to the floor in a heap. Struggling free Hailey tried to search for an antidote, but she didn't know Summoning Charms and Snape was falling unconscious... "Here!" Hailey squeaked as she found a bottle of asthma antidote in Severus' potions stores. "Please, swallow!" She hoped as she dripped potion into Severus' slightly open mouth. One drop, two drops, three drops...Severus' breathing evened and he was jerked back to consciousness, his eyes glassy. "We need to get out of here..." Hailey panicked, but Severus had locked the door. "HELP!" Hailey screamed, banging on the doors, but wait...she could use an unlocking charm! "Alohomora!" She whispered, and the doors were thrown open. She dragged Severus up the stairs, screaming "Professor Slughorn! Professor McGonagall! Professor Snape's unconscious!" . Students looked at her suspiciously, while Slughorn and McGonagall bustled into view. "Merlin's BEARD! What happened, Miss Abott? Do you have an explanation?" The stern Gryffindor barked. "He...got sick...and fainted when I was serving detention for him." Hailey panted. Students were gathering around Severus, but McGonagall magically levitated him in the air, parting the sea of curious students.

"Where am I?" Severus wheezed, at the hospital wing. Students were gathered around his bed, along with McGonagall and Slughorn. Hailey was nowhere to be seen, probably hiding from her problems, silly girl. "In the hospital wing, Severus." McGonagall replied briskly. "What happened at your detention with Miss Abott to get us into such a mess?" She asked anxiously. "H-her potion exploded." Severus croaked. "And? You can handle it better, Severus. What else happened? You can handle a potions accident better than anyone!" Madam Pomfrey teased. Severus knew this was for his own good, but he didn't want to seem so damn HELPLESS! He fumed. This was the problem. Things he loved had been taken away from him because he was HELPLESS.

Helpless as Severus was bullied by his good for nothing, alcoholic dad, and the conceited, arrogant Marauders! Helpless as Lily was killed, his one true love and friend, stamped out like a fly. He wouldn't be helpless. He couldn't. He would ruin his tough reputation as Hogwarts headmaster, and who knows how many other things? "Severus?" McGonagall asked, carefully. "Tell us what happened. We won't gossip and tell it to people. You can trust us. And besides, this is for your own good. So we can help you" McGonagall tried to convince her. But no, he would not bend so easily. "Severus! We are trying to help you. And we know you don't like or want help, but it's for your OWN GOOD. If you keep denying you're sick, then secrets will leak out. You won't make it on your own. Just let us help you, for one time, please." madam Pomfrey coaxed. As much as he would hate to admit it, Madam Pomfrey was right. She was trying to help. And he certainly couldn't maintain his facade when he could keel over any second? "Fine. I...have asthma. From Nagini's venom. That's all you should know." He spat bitterly. "W-what? From NAGINI'S Venom!" We need to to an examination." Madam Pomfrey said, hints of fear and surprise in her voice. "The potion fumes...when Miss Abott failed and the cauldron exploded...Didn't feel good. It was like... my chest was tight. Closed. I couldn't breathe." Severus muttered, wracking his brains for the memory. "Well, magical asthma is definitely more difficult to treat. And where were you after Christmas break? And why did you suddenly appear?" Madam Pomfrey questioned. Fussy mother hen! Severus sneered inwardly as he spoke. "I was trapped. In a muggle hospital. They were flooding me with strange potions...that did more harm than good." Severus finished, rather grimly. One accident after another, how hard can his life get! Severus grumbled inwardly, but he must not snap, not now.

Ah the excitement of Quidditch! Hailey thought. She is the seeker for the Slytherin quidditch team, and she was tired of her team being stereotyped as 'dumb gorillas' and that all ends today. Hailey kicked off on her broom as Madam Hooch blew her whistle, scouring the pitch for a sign of the golden snitch. After what seemed like hours she saw a red-clad figure below her stretch out a hand-NO! Hailey dived down and slammed into the Gryffindor like an eagle, and swiped the snitch for herself. A bludger took advantage of this however, and rammed into Hailey's chest at the same time. She gasped as white-hot pain filled her chest, and she toppled off her broom. Spectators were gathering around Hailey, but she had just enough time to catch a glimpse of Madam Pomfrey before she passed out.

"Oh good, you're awake." madam Pomfrey sighed. Hailey blinked drowsily and looked around the strange room, the hospital wing. Bandages were wrapped around her chest, presumably because she had broken her ribs, and Hailey could see an unconscious, black haired figure, fast asleep beside her. Snape. She had never seen the proud wizard this weak before. His bones were sharp, jutting out of his back and arms. His breathing was ragged, slow, that reminded Hailey more of a sick dog than a person. "Now now Hailey, Professor Snape needs his rest and it's time for you to take your Skele-Gro!" Madam Pomfrey's brisk voice cut through Hailey's thoughts. She was given a tumbler of smoking potion and ignoring the smell, Hailey drank it in one gulp. Wincing as the potion burned her throat, Hailey leaned back against the bed.

Hailey was jerked awake at midnight by a rasping sound. She tried to discern who was causing it, but she was too tired... The rasping had turned to a hoarse voice muttering: "No...Not Lily...Not Lily...NO!" The voice suddenly barked. Hailey turned her head to her side and discovered that Snape was saying these words. He was thrashing from side to side, his blank eyes open, which made him look more creepy. "Professor Snape?" Hailey asked, but he simply shuddered, still immersed in some sort of nightmare. She saw something else stir, and next thing she knew Madam Pomfrey was bustling into view, her eyes tired but anxious. "Professor Snape? What's happening?" madam Pomfrey asked, and she cast a charm around herself, so that Hailey couldn't hear anything.

The nightmares were happening again. They were a little bit different this time, focusing on when Lily died, with her angry voice saying in the background: "You call everyone of my birth Mudblood, Severus. Why should I be any different?" Severus knew this isn't real, that it was just a nightmare, but the terrifying whirlwind was impossible to get out of... He was guilty... HE had told that piece of information to Voldemort and it's unforgivable..."Professor Snape WAKE UP!" An anxious voice barked. Wait...where was that voice coming from? Severus' eyes slowly opened, only to be met with Madam Pomfrey's anxious ones. "Mm?" Severus groaned back in the real world. "Are you okay?" Madam Pomfrey barked. "How long have you been hiding this?"

"Why should you know? Mother hen." Severus sneered. "Severus, this has to stop now. You're not behaving like a true headmaster, but more like a cynical teen who thinks the only reason people wants their secrets is to make fun of you! Well guess what, we do not! Not everyone in this world is James Potter, and I'm trying to HELP. Also there's a difference between worrying about your boss normally and being a mother hen, SEVERUS." Madam Pomfrey spat, snapping at last. As much as Severus would hate to admit it, she was right. Madam Pomfrey WAS only trying to help. And he was embarrassed at himself now. For distrusting too many people and acting childishly. Fine. He would tell her, but CERTAINLY not anyone else. "The nightmares? They've been happening since Lily died. But they've been getting worse after Voldemort died." Snape snapped dryly. "For this long?" Madam Pomfrey gasped. "What's with all the fish mouths? Surely they're just nightmares." Severus tried to say matter-of-factly, but he felt that there was something more sinister inside..."Severus, you need help. You have PTSD." Madam Pomfrey said grimly. "It happens when something extremely traumatic happens, for example when a loved one is murdered, and that said event is per se, burned into your brain. Your brain will keep thinking about it because it's so traumatic or impactful and it will cause nightmares and stress. In severe cases...even suicide or potion addiction may occur to try and relieve the stress. Severus, you are in NO condition to be Hogwarts Headmaster, it's my professional opinion." Severus has had enough. He slipped out of bed, his black eyes sharp with fury. "I am NOT some invalid! Because I'm getting the feeling you're thinking of sending me to a therapist. I can handle this situation on my own, thank you VERY MUCH!" Severus roared, goaded beyond endurance. One piece of bad news after another. WHEN WILL THIS END? Severus thought desperately. He had thought his terrible life would be over when Nagini bit him and this whole 'Voldemort problem' was solved, but no, something had to remain and torment him! He had to stop these nightmares... Severus thought. Waiting until Madam Pomfrey was out of sight, he gulped down a dreamless sleep potion. He craved the coolness of the potion as it trickled down his throat and every scary thought vanished...it was idyllic...