To potterfreak: I agree, Severus wouldn't succumb to fear or terror easily.
I didn't mean to make it sound like he did during the beatings - the
beatings by the children were supposed to be simply an interesting turn of
events to him, not something to instil fear. I guess I didn't quite pull of
what I wanted. I really wanted it to seem that he hadn't been aware of
apparating at all. I kind of lost that train after I started. did kind of
think however that having escaped them after Jane intervened, waking up to
find he had no control of his body, would cause him some concern,
particularly when he seems to be so well controlled under even the most
harrowing conditions. You see, the fear isn't at the pain, but at his loss
of control, something I believe Severus would hold as being important,
perhaps in fact the only thing that he has left, control of his body that
is, not of his choices.
Yes, I realise I uploaded the same chapter twice. I couldn't figure out if I had done it correctly, and yes, this is my first posted Harry Potter Fanfic. I have 2 or 2 others I am also working on which I think are better than this one, but it takes ages for me to get around to typing them up as I write them longhand. This is the first one I have started typing as I write. I am glad you all enjoy this. I have the next chapter written already but I probably won't get a chance to type it for a few days. To much school work (
*********************************************************************
Snape awoke to see the girl watching him. He watched her in turn. She sat peacefully against the wall, knees up under her chin. He couldn't believe a child could sit so still, he recognised the self-control and wondered how she had gained it so young. He had been much older.
Snape knew she had seen him watching her, yet she remained where she was, silent and waiting, not acknowledging him. She waited, and her eyes showed just the slightest hint of amusement. She would stay completely still, saying nothing, until she chose to change. She wouldn't be forced into any action, not by him, not by anyone else.
Perhaps speaking would shock her into action, he tried to speak but his throat was dry and no words came out. Seeing him struggle Jane chose to react, moving swiftly and silently to a box by the wall. She brought back a bottle.
Kneeling by him Jane reached behind his shoulders and helped him sit up a little, offering him the bottle. Sitting brought a whole new world of pain and Snape's world spun. Jane waited calmly, supporting him until his breathing steadied, "Drink."
Snape took the bottle in shaking hands and raised it to his lips. Taking a mouthful he nearly choked, causing himself to cough. It wasn't pleasant, coughing still hurt.
Jane waited and watched patiently while he regained control. The coughing left him feeling pained and exhausted, and she remained beside him, supporting him as he recovered.
Fully aware for the first time, Snape was shocked to realise how fragile she was, he could feel the bones of her ribcage through the clothes she wore. Surprised, he wondered how she managed to maintain such control and why those boys had been scared off so quickly by her arrival.
"Thank you," he whispered.
"That's ok."
Snape looked at her closely. "Why do you help me?" He turned his attention back to the bottle, not wanting to pressure her into an answer she didn't want to give. He took a small mouthful with more success.
"I had to," she answered solemnly. "I don't know how you got here, but I had to because this is my place and you are here. I couldn't let Adam kill you, not like that, not in my place. I would have lost face."
Snape considered her answer, knowing perhaps that she wasn't being entirely honest.
"Perhaps it is because I have nothing and with you here I have a reason for being here too." Her words were quiet, and he realised that this was the real reason. He provided companionship and a reason to continue fighting in a world where every small gain was the result of a huge battle. He could see moistness in her eyes, he was almost pleasantly surprised to find she could still cry, only her Herculean self control stopped the tears from leaking from her eyes. She moved from his side.
"Are you hungry? Do you think you could eat something?"
Snape hadn't thought about food, and hadn't been hungry until she had mentioned it, or perhaps it was the water reawakening his stomach. Now he was famished. "I am starving but I don't know if I can eat." Hungry as he was, he was reluctant to eat in case it caused him to be ill again.
Mind filled with his own concerns, Snape hadn't noticed the girl stiffen. Starving, he was starving! So was she, literally. It was winter and food was hard to come by. Jane looked longingly at the small loaf of bread she had managed to acquire before it had ended up in the rubbish. With care, she knew she could make it last a week, possibly longer. Feeding Severus she knew it would barely last a day once his body grew accustomed to eating again. She sighed, there was no choice - he would need to food to rebuild his strength. Only then would he be safe, only then would she be released from the role of nursemaid and guardian.
Picking up the bread, she moved back to him. He looked better, a bit at least. Kneeling down again, she handed him the loaf. "Eat slowly." She didn't add that it was all the food there was. "You haven't eaten in a while."
Snape took the bread gratefully. He was so hungry that anything would have been appetising. He pulled a small piece off and placed it in his mouth, chewing it somewhat tentatively as he again became accustomed to the feel of food in his mouth. It tasted wonderful. Mustering all the self-control he had learned over the years, he chewed slowly` savouring the taste and texture of the bread before swallowing it. He took another piece from the end and repeated the process, then stopped and waited. The last thing he wanted was to make himself sick.
Jane watched, encouragingly, glad he was aware of his own limits. She might not have let Adam kill him, but if he scoffed that whole loaf down then threw it up again, Adam wouldn't have to kill him, she would kill him herself. She watched as he took a third piece of bread in his elegant fingers and placed it in his mouth, his dark eyes not leaving her. Although she still new nothing more of him than his name, she no longer feared him. "Who's Voldemort?"
Snape stiffened and almost chocked on the piece of bread. Gods, how did she know? Struggling to control himself and the coughing that threatened to overwhelm him, he swallowed the bread.
"How do you know about Voldemort?" He enquired as casually as he could manage.
Jane realised that the question had agitated her patient and she wondered why. He was now tense, his hands were trembling and the bread sat forgotten on the blanket in front of him. She quickly reached out and held them in her own. "I'm sorry, it doesn't matter, you said the name in your sleep that's all. I was just wondering if he was a friend."
Snape shook his head, relaxing a little, he wasn't aware that he talked in his sleep, but anything was possible after his most recent punishment. "Sorry I overreacted but the question surprised me. Voldemort is nobody's friend. He's evil, pure evil."
Jane nodded, "he did this to you?" She motioned towards the damage done to his body.
"What your friends didn't do, yes, and more. He's very dangerous."
Jane looked at him, serious now. "If he ever tries to hurt you again, I will kill him." She pledged quietly.
Snape shuddered at her promise. She had no idea what she was saying, silly child.
Yes, I realise I uploaded the same chapter twice. I couldn't figure out if I had done it correctly, and yes, this is my first posted Harry Potter Fanfic. I have 2 or 2 others I am also working on which I think are better than this one, but it takes ages for me to get around to typing them up as I write them longhand. This is the first one I have started typing as I write. I am glad you all enjoy this. I have the next chapter written already but I probably won't get a chance to type it for a few days. To much school work (
*********************************************************************
Snape awoke to see the girl watching him. He watched her in turn. She sat peacefully against the wall, knees up under her chin. He couldn't believe a child could sit so still, he recognised the self-control and wondered how she had gained it so young. He had been much older.
Snape knew she had seen him watching her, yet she remained where she was, silent and waiting, not acknowledging him. She waited, and her eyes showed just the slightest hint of amusement. She would stay completely still, saying nothing, until she chose to change. She wouldn't be forced into any action, not by him, not by anyone else.
Perhaps speaking would shock her into action, he tried to speak but his throat was dry and no words came out. Seeing him struggle Jane chose to react, moving swiftly and silently to a box by the wall. She brought back a bottle.
Kneeling by him Jane reached behind his shoulders and helped him sit up a little, offering him the bottle. Sitting brought a whole new world of pain and Snape's world spun. Jane waited calmly, supporting him until his breathing steadied, "Drink."
Snape took the bottle in shaking hands and raised it to his lips. Taking a mouthful he nearly choked, causing himself to cough. It wasn't pleasant, coughing still hurt.
Jane waited and watched patiently while he regained control. The coughing left him feeling pained and exhausted, and she remained beside him, supporting him as he recovered.
Fully aware for the first time, Snape was shocked to realise how fragile she was, he could feel the bones of her ribcage through the clothes she wore. Surprised, he wondered how she managed to maintain such control and why those boys had been scared off so quickly by her arrival.
"Thank you," he whispered.
"That's ok."
Snape looked at her closely. "Why do you help me?" He turned his attention back to the bottle, not wanting to pressure her into an answer she didn't want to give. He took a small mouthful with more success.
"I had to," she answered solemnly. "I don't know how you got here, but I had to because this is my place and you are here. I couldn't let Adam kill you, not like that, not in my place. I would have lost face."
Snape considered her answer, knowing perhaps that she wasn't being entirely honest.
"Perhaps it is because I have nothing and with you here I have a reason for being here too." Her words were quiet, and he realised that this was the real reason. He provided companionship and a reason to continue fighting in a world where every small gain was the result of a huge battle. He could see moistness in her eyes, he was almost pleasantly surprised to find she could still cry, only her Herculean self control stopped the tears from leaking from her eyes. She moved from his side.
"Are you hungry? Do you think you could eat something?"
Snape hadn't thought about food, and hadn't been hungry until she had mentioned it, or perhaps it was the water reawakening his stomach. Now he was famished. "I am starving but I don't know if I can eat." Hungry as he was, he was reluctant to eat in case it caused him to be ill again.
Mind filled with his own concerns, Snape hadn't noticed the girl stiffen. Starving, he was starving! So was she, literally. It was winter and food was hard to come by. Jane looked longingly at the small loaf of bread she had managed to acquire before it had ended up in the rubbish. With care, she knew she could make it last a week, possibly longer. Feeding Severus she knew it would barely last a day once his body grew accustomed to eating again. She sighed, there was no choice - he would need to food to rebuild his strength. Only then would he be safe, only then would she be released from the role of nursemaid and guardian.
Picking up the bread, she moved back to him. He looked better, a bit at least. Kneeling down again, she handed him the loaf. "Eat slowly." She didn't add that it was all the food there was. "You haven't eaten in a while."
Snape took the bread gratefully. He was so hungry that anything would have been appetising. He pulled a small piece off and placed it in his mouth, chewing it somewhat tentatively as he again became accustomed to the feel of food in his mouth. It tasted wonderful. Mustering all the self-control he had learned over the years, he chewed slowly` savouring the taste and texture of the bread before swallowing it. He took another piece from the end and repeated the process, then stopped and waited. The last thing he wanted was to make himself sick.
Jane watched, encouragingly, glad he was aware of his own limits. She might not have let Adam kill him, but if he scoffed that whole loaf down then threw it up again, Adam wouldn't have to kill him, she would kill him herself. She watched as he took a third piece of bread in his elegant fingers and placed it in his mouth, his dark eyes not leaving her. Although she still new nothing more of him than his name, she no longer feared him. "Who's Voldemort?"
Snape stiffened and almost chocked on the piece of bread. Gods, how did she know? Struggling to control himself and the coughing that threatened to overwhelm him, he swallowed the bread.
"How do you know about Voldemort?" He enquired as casually as he could manage.
Jane realised that the question had agitated her patient and she wondered why. He was now tense, his hands were trembling and the bread sat forgotten on the blanket in front of him. She quickly reached out and held them in her own. "I'm sorry, it doesn't matter, you said the name in your sleep that's all. I was just wondering if he was a friend."
Snape shook his head, relaxing a little, he wasn't aware that he talked in his sleep, but anything was possible after his most recent punishment. "Sorry I overreacted but the question surprised me. Voldemort is nobody's friend. He's evil, pure evil."
Jane nodded, "he did this to you?" She motioned towards the damage done to his body.
"What your friends didn't do, yes, and more. He's very dangerous."
Jane looked at him, serious now. "If he ever tries to hurt you again, I will kill him." She pledged quietly.
Snape shuddered at her promise. She had no idea what she was saying, silly child.