A/N: Thank you for taking the time to review my story. It's appreciated!
Rhan spent the rest of the morning helping the Potions Professor unpack the three boxes of potions ingredients. The chill air in the dungeons felt like an escape from the normality of life upstairs. Here amongst the cold, slimy grey stones and the cold drafts, she felt cushioned, away from reality.
Digging her hand deep into one of the boxes she pulled out a large jar with what looked like purple goo inside and checked it off on a long A4 list before placing it on a desk along with other jars that had been checked. Picking up another one, she let her mind wander.
*
Rhan sat at the dinning room table. Her father was sitting opposite her and her mother was bringing their evening meal in. He was glaring at her with those dark, hollowed eyes. She glanced at him but couldn't hold the gaze for long.
Her mother walked in shaking slightly, her left eye was black and puffy. She placed her father's meal in front of him and accidentally caught her skinny wrist on his glass of red wine, spilling it all over the white table cloth and onto his lap.
"You clumsy bitch!" He said pushing away from the table.
Her mother was apologising hurriedly trying to mop it up with the corner of the table cloth. Sensing what was coming next; Rhan stood up quickly and hurried into the kitchen fetching a cloth. She paused for a moment hearing her mother scream.
She walked back into the room refusing to look at either of them. She stared at the wine and mopped it up. Amongst the red wine was another substance - her mother's blood. Rhan dropped the cloth and ran out of the room, only to be struck on the back of the head by her father's fist.
*
Rhan screamed. The glass jar she was holding slid from her grasp and smashed on the floor, glass fragments flying everywhere. She felt a hand on her shoulder and spun around lifting her hand. A loud slap echoed around the room.
Severus stood completely still. Rhan lowered her hand and watched as a red hand mark appeared on the side of pale skinned face. *See what you get for your hassles?* He thought to himself. * It was a good slap though,* He found himself admitting.
"I'm so sorry," Rhan said, staring at Severus' emotionless face. "I thought you were someone else," She whispered. Why do I keep saying that to him? Rhan thought annoyed.
Snape called the dustpan and brush, catching it deftly before starting to clear up the shards. Rhan was apologising hurriedly waiting for the yell, picking up glass shards ignoring the fact that they were slicing into her palm. The yell never came.
"Rhan, stop." Snape said, placing a hand over hers. His voice was shaking slightly. She stopped under this soft touch and looked up at him. He noticed that she was shaking violently.
"I'm so sorry," She said frightened.
"It doesn't matter." He said calmly sweeping up the glass and the contents of the jar with a quick sweep and a blur of black robes. He stood up and with a quick flick of the wand the rubbish was gone. She glanced at her palms and wiped the blood on her robes. Her palms began to throb slightly.
Rhan leant against the wall. Sliding down it she brought her knees up to her chest and hid her face, wrapping her arms around her legs. Closing her eyes, she listened to the clear cut sound of Snape's steps, who walked and put the dustpan back in the stock room. She could then feel him stop in front of her, his eyes boring into the back of her head.
He crouched next to her and placed a gentle hand on her arm. She leant into him, resting her head on his shoulder. Snape brought his arm around her and pulled her tightly into his chest. He had wanted to ask her what was going on, but wasn't sure whether it was right, him prodding into her life like that. It was a while before either of them broke the silence.
"It was my father," She said shocked, her voice echoing around the room. Snape looked at Rhan, her dark hair curtaining her face. It was impossible to read, but he was sure that he head heard a bit of bitterness and hate in her voice.
The silence resumed again, neither of them knowing quite what to say, or how to say it.
"He used to hurt my mother and me," She whispered.
At first, Snape was unsure whether he had heard that last comment. The silent tears flowing down her cheeks seemed to confirm it.
"Ah Rhan," He said, pulling her closer, his voice gentle. Rhan closed her eyes for a moment and listened to the regular heartbeat beneath her. It seemed to steady her.
Snape glanced down at her bleeding palms.
"Do you want to go to the hospital wing?"
"No thanks, I've had worse."
A bell rang over head, signalling lunch. Neither of them moved. After a while, Rhan pushed herself off Snape and stood up, a rush of embarrassment showing on the colouring of her cheeks.
Snape pulled himself up and watched as Rhan walked back over to her box and began to busy herself with the rest of the delivery.
There was a silence and a sigh. "Rhan," Severus asked.
"Yes, sir?" She asked her eyes fixed on the purple goo, sitting on the desk.
"Look at me when I am talking to you," He said softly.
Rhan raised her eyes to his. She couldn't help flinching at them, they reminded her so much of her father's, but she held her gaze, her hands shaking slightly as she held one of the glass jars.
"Would you like something to eat? It's half past one."
"No, thank you, sir. If you don't mind, once I have finished this box I would like to go."
"That's fine." Snape said turning back towards his delivery. Rhan continued to look at him for a moment then turned back and finished off checking the last of the delivery.
With a quiet goodbye she left the dungeons and made her way through the school heading for her room. Why had he stayed with her last night? Why had he helped her? She was a Gryffindor! It went against all of his principles! She shook her head slightly and walked along the corridors to her rooms.
*~*~*
After Rhan had gone, Snape walked into his rooms and sunk down into a chair. He raised a hand to his head and rested it there.
*What are you doing you fool?* He thought.*Why are you taking it into your hands to care for her? She's not even in your bloody house! She's in Gryffindor!*
-You care for her, don't you?- The other side of him argued.
*Yeah, right. Look at her! She's a student! I am just looking out for her.*
-You can relate to her, you know what she's going through- His other half whispered.
*Oh come on! She appeared at 3:00 in the morning! Oh yes I can relate to her, I often appear at strange times in the night and scare everyone shitless!*
-You know what I mean-
Snape grunted and pulled out a book, attempting to submerge himself in a particularly complicated potions recipe. As many times as his eyes swept over the same sentence that he was concentrating on, though, Snape found he was unable to comprehend its meaning.
Throwing the book across the room, he walked back into the office and began to stack the jars rather fiercely causing a few of them to wobble.
*~*~*~*
Rhan bypassed her room and headed for the school grounds. The peacefulness of the grounds had never failed in settling Rhan's mind. Sitting with her back against a particularly ancient oak tree near the lake she closed her eyes and allowed the sun's rays to warm her face.
She wished that Hermione was with her. Perhaps she could send her an owl, explaining where she was. A pang of sadness stuck Rhan's heart. She had left Eira, her snowy owl, at home. Well, she was out hunting when she had left. Perhaps there's a chance that she will find me? Rhan thought hopefully.
Deciding to send Hermione a note, Rhan made her way to her rooms and pulled out a piece of parchment and ink. She explained that she was at Hogwarts and was fine. Walking up to the Owlery, she chose a tawny owl and tied the piece of parchment to its leg and watched as it flew out of the window and out of view.
A pain suddenly hit Rhan in the back of her head. She screamed and her vision blurred.
* Rhan suddenly found herself in a grey room. There were no walls, or windows. A light was coming from somewhere on the ceiling, casting a yellowish glow around the room. Shadows flickered in the corners. Turning around, there was no way of escaping. Taking a few steps forward, a figure appeared from the darkness. He was clothed in black robes, hemmed in silver. A hood covered his face, and long sleeves covered his hands.
He approached her, reaching out an arm. As the arm extended, the robes slid up his arm slightly to reveal a silvery mark on his arm, a dark mark. Rhan shrank back, recognising the huge hand, his knuckles splattered in blood.
"My daughter," The cold voice said.
He stepped forward and took his wand form his robes and pointed it at Rhan.
She stepped backwards, shaking in fear when something cold and hard hit her back. She was cornered against a wall.
The figure stepped closer to her. His face was so close to hers, she could feel his cold breath on her face. Rhan recognised the familiar taste of alcohol on his breath, making her stomach churn.
"I will find you," He whispered as he receded into the shadows. *
Rhan spent the rest of the morning helping the Potions Professor unpack the three boxes of potions ingredients. The chill air in the dungeons felt like an escape from the normality of life upstairs. Here amongst the cold, slimy grey stones and the cold drafts, she felt cushioned, away from reality.
Digging her hand deep into one of the boxes she pulled out a large jar with what looked like purple goo inside and checked it off on a long A4 list before placing it on a desk along with other jars that had been checked. Picking up another one, she let her mind wander.
*
Rhan sat at the dinning room table. Her father was sitting opposite her and her mother was bringing their evening meal in. He was glaring at her with those dark, hollowed eyes. She glanced at him but couldn't hold the gaze for long.
Her mother walked in shaking slightly, her left eye was black and puffy. She placed her father's meal in front of him and accidentally caught her skinny wrist on his glass of red wine, spilling it all over the white table cloth and onto his lap.
"You clumsy bitch!" He said pushing away from the table.
Her mother was apologising hurriedly trying to mop it up with the corner of the table cloth. Sensing what was coming next; Rhan stood up quickly and hurried into the kitchen fetching a cloth. She paused for a moment hearing her mother scream.
She walked back into the room refusing to look at either of them. She stared at the wine and mopped it up. Amongst the red wine was another substance - her mother's blood. Rhan dropped the cloth and ran out of the room, only to be struck on the back of the head by her father's fist.
*
Rhan screamed. The glass jar she was holding slid from her grasp and smashed on the floor, glass fragments flying everywhere. She felt a hand on her shoulder and spun around lifting her hand. A loud slap echoed around the room.
Severus stood completely still. Rhan lowered her hand and watched as a red hand mark appeared on the side of pale skinned face. *See what you get for your hassles?* He thought to himself. * It was a good slap though,* He found himself admitting.
"I'm so sorry," Rhan said, staring at Severus' emotionless face. "I thought you were someone else," She whispered. Why do I keep saying that to him? Rhan thought annoyed.
Snape called the dustpan and brush, catching it deftly before starting to clear up the shards. Rhan was apologising hurriedly waiting for the yell, picking up glass shards ignoring the fact that they were slicing into her palm. The yell never came.
"Rhan, stop." Snape said, placing a hand over hers. His voice was shaking slightly. She stopped under this soft touch and looked up at him. He noticed that she was shaking violently.
"I'm so sorry," She said frightened.
"It doesn't matter." He said calmly sweeping up the glass and the contents of the jar with a quick sweep and a blur of black robes. He stood up and with a quick flick of the wand the rubbish was gone. She glanced at her palms and wiped the blood on her robes. Her palms began to throb slightly.
Rhan leant against the wall. Sliding down it she brought her knees up to her chest and hid her face, wrapping her arms around her legs. Closing her eyes, she listened to the clear cut sound of Snape's steps, who walked and put the dustpan back in the stock room. She could then feel him stop in front of her, his eyes boring into the back of her head.
He crouched next to her and placed a gentle hand on her arm. She leant into him, resting her head on his shoulder. Snape brought his arm around her and pulled her tightly into his chest. He had wanted to ask her what was going on, but wasn't sure whether it was right, him prodding into her life like that. It was a while before either of them broke the silence.
"It was my father," She said shocked, her voice echoing around the room. Snape looked at Rhan, her dark hair curtaining her face. It was impossible to read, but he was sure that he head heard a bit of bitterness and hate in her voice.
The silence resumed again, neither of them knowing quite what to say, or how to say it.
"He used to hurt my mother and me," She whispered.
At first, Snape was unsure whether he had heard that last comment. The silent tears flowing down her cheeks seemed to confirm it.
"Ah Rhan," He said, pulling her closer, his voice gentle. Rhan closed her eyes for a moment and listened to the regular heartbeat beneath her. It seemed to steady her.
Snape glanced down at her bleeding palms.
"Do you want to go to the hospital wing?"
"No thanks, I've had worse."
A bell rang over head, signalling lunch. Neither of them moved. After a while, Rhan pushed herself off Snape and stood up, a rush of embarrassment showing on the colouring of her cheeks.
Snape pulled himself up and watched as Rhan walked back over to her box and began to busy herself with the rest of the delivery.
There was a silence and a sigh. "Rhan," Severus asked.
"Yes, sir?" She asked her eyes fixed on the purple goo, sitting on the desk.
"Look at me when I am talking to you," He said softly.
Rhan raised her eyes to his. She couldn't help flinching at them, they reminded her so much of her father's, but she held her gaze, her hands shaking slightly as she held one of the glass jars.
"Would you like something to eat? It's half past one."
"No, thank you, sir. If you don't mind, once I have finished this box I would like to go."
"That's fine." Snape said turning back towards his delivery. Rhan continued to look at him for a moment then turned back and finished off checking the last of the delivery.
With a quiet goodbye she left the dungeons and made her way through the school heading for her room. Why had he stayed with her last night? Why had he helped her? She was a Gryffindor! It went against all of his principles! She shook her head slightly and walked along the corridors to her rooms.
*~*~*
After Rhan had gone, Snape walked into his rooms and sunk down into a chair. He raised a hand to his head and rested it there.
*What are you doing you fool?* He thought.*Why are you taking it into your hands to care for her? She's not even in your bloody house! She's in Gryffindor!*
-You care for her, don't you?- The other side of him argued.
*Yeah, right. Look at her! She's a student! I am just looking out for her.*
-You can relate to her, you know what she's going through- His other half whispered.
*Oh come on! She appeared at 3:00 in the morning! Oh yes I can relate to her, I often appear at strange times in the night and scare everyone shitless!*
-You know what I mean-
Snape grunted and pulled out a book, attempting to submerge himself in a particularly complicated potions recipe. As many times as his eyes swept over the same sentence that he was concentrating on, though, Snape found he was unable to comprehend its meaning.
Throwing the book across the room, he walked back into the office and began to stack the jars rather fiercely causing a few of them to wobble.
*~*~*~*
Rhan bypassed her room and headed for the school grounds. The peacefulness of the grounds had never failed in settling Rhan's mind. Sitting with her back against a particularly ancient oak tree near the lake she closed her eyes and allowed the sun's rays to warm her face.
She wished that Hermione was with her. Perhaps she could send her an owl, explaining where she was. A pang of sadness stuck Rhan's heart. She had left Eira, her snowy owl, at home. Well, she was out hunting when she had left. Perhaps there's a chance that she will find me? Rhan thought hopefully.
Deciding to send Hermione a note, Rhan made her way to her rooms and pulled out a piece of parchment and ink. She explained that she was at Hogwarts and was fine. Walking up to the Owlery, she chose a tawny owl and tied the piece of parchment to its leg and watched as it flew out of the window and out of view.
A pain suddenly hit Rhan in the back of her head. She screamed and her vision blurred.
* Rhan suddenly found herself in a grey room. There were no walls, or windows. A light was coming from somewhere on the ceiling, casting a yellowish glow around the room. Shadows flickered in the corners. Turning around, there was no way of escaping. Taking a few steps forward, a figure appeared from the darkness. He was clothed in black robes, hemmed in silver. A hood covered his face, and long sleeves covered his hands.
He approached her, reaching out an arm. As the arm extended, the robes slid up his arm slightly to reveal a silvery mark on his arm, a dark mark. Rhan shrank back, recognising the huge hand, his knuckles splattered in blood.
"My daughter," The cold voice said.
He stepped forward and took his wand form his robes and pointed it at Rhan.
She stepped backwards, shaking in fear when something cold and hard hit her back. She was cornered against a wall.
The figure stepped closer to her. His face was so close to hers, she could feel his cold breath on her face. Rhan recognised the familiar taste of alcohol on his breath, making her stomach churn.
"I will find you," He whispered as he receded into the shadows. *