* * * *
Snape found Dumbledore just outside of the Great Hall, but before he could begin to say anything the Headmaster had already motioned him toward his office. They walked in silence, ignoring the questions of the students that were still in the halls and entered the office without speaking.
"You have to tell them Albus," Snape said, the moment he was seated.
Dumbledore held up his hands. "I'm not sure I agree that it would be a wise choice to tell them what Draco did to his mother."
Snape sighed. "They have a right to know what they're facing, do they not?"
"Of course they do Severus, but wouldn't you like to know what happened before we decide?"
Snape nodded slowly and leaned back in his chair, waiting for the Headmaster to speak.
Dumbledore fixed Snape with an unnerving gaze, his eyes more angry that Snape had ever seen before.
"They found her body in the Malfoy home, but she wasn't killed by any curse Severus, oh no."
"Not a curse?"
Dumbledore shook his head. "For wizards that look down upon the ways of a Muggle, they can certainly adopt their ways easier than they would admit to."
Snape sighed in exasperation. "Albus, what happened?"
"Broken fingers," Dumbledore began, "broken bones throughout the entire body. A form of torture, though Merlin only knows for what reason. Her fingernails were missing Severus, they were yanked out before she died. Puncture wounds lines her inner arms, her blood had drained slowly for who knows how long."
Snape swallowed hard.
"Her lips were sewn together," Dumbledore said. "They were sewn together to keep her from screaming. Her eyes,"
"Sewn shut?" Snape asked, incredulous.
Dumbledore nodded gravely. "But it was far from over for her at that point Severus. Very far from being over. We can only guess at how many days Draco and Lucius tortured Narcissa. They found the body strapped to an operating table, her chest cavity had been opened and left open. She could have been alive like that for days . . . days. Don't you see the severity of this Severus? Do we really need to frighten them more than they already are?"
Snape lowered his eyes. "They have a right to know the madness they're facing Albus."
Silence fell over the room as Snape stood by his original statement and Dumbledore waited, hoping he would change his mind.
"You really think they should know?" he asked finally.
Snape nodded. "I really do."
Dumbledore stood. "Then we will tell them."
* * * *
Snape found Dumbledore just outside of the Great Hall, but before he could begin to say anything the Headmaster had already motioned him toward his office. They walked in silence, ignoring the questions of the students that were still in the halls and entered the office without speaking.
"You have to tell them Albus," Snape said, the moment he was seated.
Dumbledore held up his hands. "I'm not sure I agree that it would be a wise choice to tell them what Draco did to his mother."
Snape sighed. "They have a right to know what they're facing, do they not?"
"Of course they do Severus, but wouldn't you like to know what happened before we decide?"
Snape nodded slowly and leaned back in his chair, waiting for the Headmaster to speak.
Dumbledore fixed Snape with an unnerving gaze, his eyes more angry that Snape had ever seen before.
"They found her body in the Malfoy home, but she wasn't killed by any curse Severus, oh no."
"Not a curse?"
Dumbledore shook his head. "For wizards that look down upon the ways of a Muggle, they can certainly adopt their ways easier than they would admit to."
Snape sighed in exasperation. "Albus, what happened?"
"Broken fingers," Dumbledore began, "broken bones throughout the entire body. A form of torture, though Merlin only knows for what reason. Her fingernails were missing Severus, they were yanked out before she died. Puncture wounds lines her inner arms, her blood had drained slowly for who knows how long."
Snape swallowed hard.
"Her lips were sewn together," Dumbledore said. "They were sewn together to keep her from screaming. Her eyes,"
"Sewn shut?" Snape asked, incredulous.
Dumbledore nodded gravely. "But it was far from over for her at that point Severus. Very far from being over. We can only guess at how many days Draco and Lucius tortured Narcissa. They found the body strapped to an operating table, her chest cavity had been opened and left open. She could have been alive like that for days . . . days. Don't you see the severity of this Severus? Do we really need to frighten them more than they already are?"
Snape lowered his eyes. "They have a right to know the madness they're facing Albus."
Silence fell over the room as Snape stood by his original statement and Dumbledore waited, hoping he would change his mind.
"You really think they should know?" he asked finally.
Snape nodded. "I really do."
Dumbledore stood. "Then we will tell them."
* * * *