**AN: there is cutting – self-mutilation – ahead. If it is triggering or disturbing, do not read this section. That's why it's so short, and not combined with the previous section.**
Awaking in darkness, Severus listened intently before pushing open the entrance to his hidden chamber. Darkness stared back at him. The clock on the wall read 4:36 in luminous numbers. Sighing, the boy closed himself in once again. He lit his wand and groped stiffly for the knife with the metal snake-handle that he kept there.
Rolling up his sleeve, he smiled wanly at the scars embedded there. Small runes encircled his left arm, spelling out well-chosen magical spells letter by letter. Each time he was beaten, a letter was added. He was on the second row.
Two runes he carved today. The blood trickled down, and he licked at it before blotting it off. Pushing up his sleeve further, he inspected the large purple bruise left from that painful kick. Shuddering, he hastily tugged the fabric down again.
Yes, he enjoyed self-inflicted pain. Controlled and simple, and nobody had to know. Other pain, though… Severus dreaded the coming of summer, though it was months away. Often his mother would creep into his room to heal her son's injuries, but other times he was there alone, licking his wounds and brooding. This summer would probably be worse.
He hated it all.