Chapter 3 – The Hospital Wing
Five minutes hadn't elapsed before half the school knew that Sirius Black had beaten up Severus Snape, and that the Slytherin was back in the Hospital Wing for the second time in less than twelve hours.
Severus had tried to ignore the injury, heading for his Transfiguration Class with his sleeve to his nose.
Professor McGonagall took one look at him (he was dripping blood on her floor, after all) and shooed him off to the Infirmary. She watched the boy leave, and then thought better of it. "I want everyone to review the material concerning transfiguring ottomans to oxen," the witch solemnly intoned. "I shall return forthwith."
Much to his embarrassment, Severus saw that he now had a faculty escort.
"How did this happen, Mr. Snape?" McGonagall asked curtly.
"Deber bind aboud it," he responded, pushing his luck. "I'b fine."
"Nonsense, Mr. Snape. I have asked you a civil question and I expect a civil answer from you."
Severus dropped his head and kept silent as they walked.
"Hold," McGonagall said, coming to a sudden halt and stopping Snape by grasping the sleeve of his robe. "Answer me this, then. Did your father hurt you?"
Snape looked her straight in the eye. "He did, dow dat you bention id. But he didn't bweak by dose. Ad deast today."
"Good heavens, child, are you telling me your father has broken your nose in the past?"
"Id doesn't batter," Severus said. "Siwius Bwack broke id today, if dat's what you're after."
Beside herself with a maternal mix of avenging anger and sudden pity for the boy she accompanied, she kept hold of Severus' sleeve and smartly propelled him forward.
"Of course it matters," she retorted, clinching it.
------------------
"Now what's this, Minerva?" asked Nurse Pomfrey. "I just discharged this child this morning."
"I'm sure that's quite true, Poppy, but as you can see young Mr. Snape now sports a broken nose."
"The same pack of boys then, is it, Minerva?" She wedged Snape's head under her arm and dragged him near a window to get a better look.
"Sirius Black, at any rate," Professor McGonagall replied. "I must be off to my class, and will take up the appropriate punishment with that young man afterward."
"Wait, Minerva," Poppy called, waving her wand at the witch. "That's better. Bloodstains on one's robes are not conducive to the educational process."
McGonagall smiled, then turned and left.
Nurse Pomfrey dragged Severus over to a bed, pushing him onto it, and then tilting his head back. "Here, lie down but don't let the blood choke you. I need to get the appropriate supplies."
Severus lay down and tried to calm himself. He was on the verge of tears, and dared not relinquish his control. It was bad enough that he'd cried in front of Pomfrey when she'd set his ankle last night.
*Shut your mouth and stop that sniveling you damned crybaby or I'll give you something to cry about*
He shook his head, alarmed by the memory of his father's harsh voice in his head. His head was beginning to throb in time with the throbbing of his mashed nose. Snuffling up as much blood as he could, he waited.
Pomfrey returned with a bottle of drops and some bandaging. Slapping them down on the bed, she then loomed over him, a stern look on her face.
"Release the charm, Mr. Snape."
"Whad charb?" the boy replied.
"The glamourie you're using. I'm wise to your tricks after all, young man."
Severus shrugged and murmured a few words. Several reddish-purple rings of bruises showed up on his neck.
"I need not ask who inflicted these! I believe I saw him with the Headmaster this morning. He has no right whatsoever to harm you, Severus. I do wish you had told somebody about this."
"Id's dot dat simble," Severus responded, shoving his grief and shame deep down. "I would hab gotten id worse next tibe."
Poppy sighed. "Poor child. Well, I intend to tell, so you won't have to worry about retaliation. What I couldn't say about that man! Dark wizard or not, somebody needs to stop him."
Severus rolled his eyes. Really, the nurse was so innocent to think that somebody other than Tom Riddle had the ability to stop his father from doing anything! She apparently had no idea of what kind of dark magic he was capable. He then squeezed his eyes shut. His head was really throbbing now. He felt the nurse tip his head backward; his mouth opened to allow him to breathe.
"Just – a – few—drops – Mr. – Snape –"
The drops felt soothing. Pomfrey then gently eased him up to a sitting position. "Let me put these healing bandages over your nose and neck, Severus. You might as well accept the fact that you're staying here for the day."
"Bud I can'd!" Severus shouted to her as she worked. "Eberybuddy will dink I'b a baby."
"They will not," she retorted, whisking away the supplies and tossing a wad at him which turned out to be clean pajamas. Whirling about, she waved her wand, causing draperies to appear suddenly from the ceiling and lower themselves around him.
She then went over to her fireplace, bending toward it.
"Headmaster Dumbledore?" she asked. Within a few seconds, the old man's face appeared. "I would like to discuss Severus Snape, please, when it's convenient."
"Certainly, Poppy," he said. "I'll be there as soon as I can."
Dressed in the soft cotton nightclothes, Severus lay down carefully, and was happy to realize that he was able to breathe through his nose. He was very tired and much stressed and the clean clothes and bedding felt good against his skin.
Within a second's time Nurse Pomfrey waved away the draperies and put a warm blanket over him. She laid a cool hand to his forehead. "Cry it out, child," she admonished. "don't ever try to keep in that much pain. No good will come of it if you do!"
Severus rolled away from her. Kindly or not, he still didn't want her to see him cry.
------------------
Albus Dumbledore was a man with troubles today.
Severus' father had been no match for the most powerful wizard on the side of the Light, after all, but Albus had forgotten just how self-deluded the disciples of Tom Riddle could be. In the past, he hadn't been able to ask Snape point-blank why he abused his only child, and when the opportunity had presented itself today, Dumbledore took it. The discussion had gotten out of hand rather quickly after that.
Snape had responded in the alternative. There was no abuse, or if there was, it was none of Dumbledore's business; or if there was, it was merited because the boy clearly needed some toughening up. Dumbledore had opined that toughening up did not include tearing the boy's self-esteem to pieces or using magic to cover up the damage he'd done. Before Albus knew it, the man had been on his feet with wand drawn, ready to take on the Headmaster.
Fortunately, Rubeus Hagrid had chosen that moment to enter the room, breaking the visitor's concentration. Embarrassed beneath his vicious show of fury and indignation, Maldedictis Snape beat a hasty retreat, vowing that he would continue to handle his son's discipline without the help of the lily-livered cowards who ran Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. And off he went, all ready to take out his aggression on Severus.
And now, Albus massaged his temples to quell an incipient headache. He nodded a greeting to Poppy and they went into their little huddle.
"I know there isn't a lot you can do about a parent, Albus, but you really do need to rein in that Sirius Black," she said in her usual curt manner.
"Wait a bit, Poppy. First of all, what did Severus' father do to him?"
"Throttled him."
"Awful! Now what did Sirius Black do?"
"According to Severus, he took him by the scruff and flattened his nose against a stone wall in one of the corridors. Minerva brought him up; the boy had tried to go to class with a mashed nose!"
Dumbledore shook his head sadly. Sirius was one of his favorite students in Gryffindor House.
Poppy kept on. "Imagine the Snape boy mixing it up with an athlete like Black! That poor child would blow away in a high wind! Honestly, Albus, if I – "
He took Nurse Pomfrey's hands in his. "Thank you, Poppy. Let me take a moment to speak to Severus, and then I'll call Sirius out of class and get to the bottom of it."
"As I knew you would," Pomfrey said with a nod. "Severus is over there in the corner."
Dumbledore nodded once more, then went over to the bed in which Severus lay.
At first, he thought that the boy was fast asleep; but then he saw two dark eyes looking at him over the top of a blanket. They were bright with admiration and thanks.
"Did I wake you, Severus?" Dumbledore asked. "I came to see how you were getting along."
The sparkling eyes widened. "You came here just to see me?"
Dumbledore smiled. "Just to see you."
The boy grinned. "I'm all right, sir," he said. "Just a bit tired is all."
"That's my boy," Dumbledore said, tousling his hair. Severus' eyes danced with delight at the kind words. "You get some sleep now."
"Yes, sir," the boy responded, closing his eyes with a contented sigh, his troubled heart lightened considerably.
Albus' own heart, on the other hand, remained quite troubled enough for both of them.
--------------
"But – sir! I swear I didn't mean to start up with him again!"
"Are you suggesting that he broke his own nose, Sirius?"
The handsome Gryffindor paced back and forth in front of the Headmaster's desk. "I suppose I got a little hot under the collar, sir – but he ran into me in the corridor, and then he starts up with me! Trying to pick a fight if you know what I mean, sir!"
Albus waved his hands. "Stop – just stop that pacing. Sit down, please."
With a look of doom upon his face, Sirius sat down on the very edge of the nearest chair and awaited his fate.
"It seems to me that this rivalry has gotten entirely out of hand. You're aware of Severus' situation at home. I realize he isn't the easiest person to get along with, Sirius, but neither are you. In the past day and a half, you and your friends have succeeded in terrorizing him so that he fled into a worse situation than the one he'd left -- I don't know how he managed to stay alive in the Forbidden Forest, but we are most fortunate that the story had a happy ending."
Sirius shrugged ruefully.
"How exactly am I going to owl his parents only to tell them their son's nose was broken not an hour after his release from the Hospital Wing?"
Sirius dropped his head, then looked up with a hint of a smirk on his good- looking face. "Well -- it WAS a pretty big target, sir," he said, hoping to win a smile from the Headmaster.
"Oh, please, Mr. Black," Albus snapped, not inclined to smile in the slightest. "Work with me on this. It doesn't help the situation a bit to behave in such a casual manner. I realize you're off the Quidditch team for the season and you're angry about it. But listen to me carefully, Sirius. I want you – and your friends – to stay as far away from Severus as you possibly can. Do you understand?"
Sirius dropped his eyes. "Yes, sir."
Silence.
"If things go well over the next week or so, sir, do you suppose James and I might rejoin the team?"
"That was Professor McGonagall's decision, and one not taken lightly. I will not overrule her in that regard. You may wish to plead your case yourself, but frankly, Sirius, your position isn't a strong one right now. In fact, your behavior mandates the deduction of forty additional points from your House total."
"What?? But, Headmaster!"
"Just deal with it, my boy. Don't you have another class starting shortly?"
Stunned into silence, Sirius Black nodded.
"I appreciate your coming in for our talk," Dumbledore sighed, patting the young man on the shoulder. "Do what you can to get along with the other Slytherins, too. After all, you're classmates, not enemies."
Sirius gave Albus a curt nod, then turned and walked out the door.
"Don't be too sure of that, sir," he murmured to himself as the gryphon staircase made its short descent.
Five minutes hadn't elapsed before half the school knew that Sirius Black had beaten up Severus Snape, and that the Slytherin was back in the Hospital Wing for the second time in less than twelve hours.
Severus had tried to ignore the injury, heading for his Transfiguration Class with his sleeve to his nose.
Professor McGonagall took one look at him (he was dripping blood on her floor, after all) and shooed him off to the Infirmary. She watched the boy leave, and then thought better of it. "I want everyone to review the material concerning transfiguring ottomans to oxen," the witch solemnly intoned. "I shall return forthwith."
Much to his embarrassment, Severus saw that he now had a faculty escort.
"How did this happen, Mr. Snape?" McGonagall asked curtly.
"Deber bind aboud it," he responded, pushing his luck. "I'b fine."
"Nonsense, Mr. Snape. I have asked you a civil question and I expect a civil answer from you."
Severus dropped his head and kept silent as they walked.
"Hold," McGonagall said, coming to a sudden halt and stopping Snape by grasping the sleeve of his robe. "Answer me this, then. Did your father hurt you?"
Snape looked her straight in the eye. "He did, dow dat you bention id. But he didn't bweak by dose. Ad deast today."
"Good heavens, child, are you telling me your father has broken your nose in the past?"
"Id doesn't batter," Severus said. "Siwius Bwack broke id today, if dat's what you're after."
Beside herself with a maternal mix of avenging anger and sudden pity for the boy she accompanied, she kept hold of Severus' sleeve and smartly propelled him forward.
"Of course it matters," she retorted, clinching it.
------------------
"Now what's this, Minerva?" asked Nurse Pomfrey. "I just discharged this child this morning."
"I'm sure that's quite true, Poppy, but as you can see young Mr. Snape now sports a broken nose."
"The same pack of boys then, is it, Minerva?" She wedged Snape's head under her arm and dragged him near a window to get a better look.
"Sirius Black, at any rate," Professor McGonagall replied. "I must be off to my class, and will take up the appropriate punishment with that young man afterward."
"Wait, Minerva," Poppy called, waving her wand at the witch. "That's better. Bloodstains on one's robes are not conducive to the educational process."
McGonagall smiled, then turned and left.
Nurse Pomfrey dragged Severus over to a bed, pushing him onto it, and then tilting his head back. "Here, lie down but don't let the blood choke you. I need to get the appropriate supplies."
Severus lay down and tried to calm himself. He was on the verge of tears, and dared not relinquish his control. It was bad enough that he'd cried in front of Pomfrey when she'd set his ankle last night.
*Shut your mouth and stop that sniveling you damned crybaby or I'll give you something to cry about*
He shook his head, alarmed by the memory of his father's harsh voice in his head. His head was beginning to throb in time with the throbbing of his mashed nose. Snuffling up as much blood as he could, he waited.
Pomfrey returned with a bottle of drops and some bandaging. Slapping them down on the bed, she then loomed over him, a stern look on her face.
"Release the charm, Mr. Snape."
"Whad charb?" the boy replied.
"The glamourie you're using. I'm wise to your tricks after all, young man."
Severus shrugged and murmured a few words. Several reddish-purple rings of bruises showed up on his neck.
"I need not ask who inflicted these! I believe I saw him with the Headmaster this morning. He has no right whatsoever to harm you, Severus. I do wish you had told somebody about this."
"Id's dot dat simble," Severus responded, shoving his grief and shame deep down. "I would hab gotten id worse next tibe."
Poppy sighed. "Poor child. Well, I intend to tell, so you won't have to worry about retaliation. What I couldn't say about that man! Dark wizard or not, somebody needs to stop him."
Severus rolled his eyes. Really, the nurse was so innocent to think that somebody other than Tom Riddle had the ability to stop his father from doing anything! She apparently had no idea of what kind of dark magic he was capable. He then squeezed his eyes shut. His head was really throbbing now. He felt the nurse tip his head backward; his mouth opened to allow him to breathe.
"Just – a – few—drops – Mr. – Snape –"
The drops felt soothing. Pomfrey then gently eased him up to a sitting position. "Let me put these healing bandages over your nose and neck, Severus. You might as well accept the fact that you're staying here for the day."
"Bud I can'd!" Severus shouted to her as she worked. "Eberybuddy will dink I'b a baby."
"They will not," she retorted, whisking away the supplies and tossing a wad at him which turned out to be clean pajamas. Whirling about, she waved her wand, causing draperies to appear suddenly from the ceiling and lower themselves around him.
She then went over to her fireplace, bending toward it.
"Headmaster Dumbledore?" she asked. Within a few seconds, the old man's face appeared. "I would like to discuss Severus Snape, please, when it's convenient."
"Certainly, Poppy," he said. "I'll be there as soon as I can."
Dressed in the soft cotton nightclothes, Severus lay down carefully, and was happy to realize that he was able to breathe through his nose. He was very tired and much stressed and the clean clothes and bedding felt good against his skin.
Within a second's time Nurse Pomfrey waved away the draperies and put a warm blanket over him. She laid a cool hand to his forehead. "Cry it out, child," she admonished. "don't ever try to keep in that much pain. No good will come of it if you do!"
Severus rolled away from her. Kindly or not, he still didn't want her to see him cry.
------------------
Albus Dumbledore was a man with troubles today.
Severus' father had been no match for the most powerful wizard on the side of the Light, after all, but Albus had forgotten just how self-deluded the disciples of Tom Riddle could be. In the past, he hadn't been able to ask Snape point-blank why he abused his only child, and when the opportunity had presented itself today, Dumbledore took it. The discussion had gotten out of hand rather quickly after that.
Snape had responded in the alternative. There was no abuse, or if there was, it was none of Dumbledore's business; or if there was, it was merited because the boy clearly needed some toughening up. Dumbledore had opined that toughening up did not include tearing the boy's self-esteem to pieces or using magic to cover up the damage he'd done. Before Albus knew it, the man had been on his feet with wand drawn, ready to take on the Headmaster.
Fortunately, Rubeus Hagrid had chosen that moment to enter the room, breaking the visitor's concentration. Embarrassed beneath his vicious show of fury and indignation, Maldedictis Snape beat a hasty retreat, vowing that he would continue to handle his son's discipline without the help of the lily-livered cowards who ran Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. And off he went, all ready to take out his aggression on Severus.
And now, Albus massaged his temples to quell an incipient headache. He nodded a greeting to Poppy and they went into their little huddle.
"I know there isn't a lot you can do about a parent, Albus, but you really do need to rein in that Sirius Black," she said in her usual curt manner.
"Wait a bit, Poppy. First of all, what did Severus' father do to him?"
"Throttled him."
"Awful! Now what did Sirius Black do?"
"According to Severus, he took him by the scruff and flattened his nose against a stone wall in one of the corridors. Minerva brought him up; the boy had tried to go to class with a mashed nose!"
Dumbledore shook his head sadly. Sirius was one of his favorite students in Gryffindor House.
Poppy kept on. "Imagine the Snape boy mixing it up with an athlete like Black! That poor child would blow away in a high wind! Honestly, Albus, if I – "
He took Nurse Pomfrey's hands in his. "Thank you, Poppy. Let me take a moment to speak to Severus, and then I'll call Sirius out of class and get to the bottom of it."
"As I knew you would," Pomfrey said with a nod. "Severus is over there in the corner."
Dumbledore nodded once more, then went over to the bed in which Severus lay.
At first, he thought that the boy was fast asleep; but then he saw two dark eyes looking at him over the top of a blanket. They were bright with admiration and thanks.
"Did I wake you, Severus?" Dumbledore asked. "I came to see how you were getting along."
The sparkling eyes widened. "You came here just to see me?"
Dumbledore smiled. "Just to see you."
The boy grinned. "I'm all right, sir," he said. "Just a bit tired is all."
"That's my boy," Dumbledore said, tousling his hair. Severus' eyes danced with delight at the kind words. "You get some sleep now."
"Yes, sir," the boy responded, closing his eyes with a contented sigh, his troubled heart lightened considerably.
Albus' own heart, on the other hand, remained quite troubled enough for both of them.
--------------
"But – sir! I swear I didn't mean to start up with him again!"
"Are you suggesting that he broke his own nose, Sirius?"
The handsome Gryffindor paced back and forth in front of the Headmaster's desk. "I suppose I got a little hot under the collar, sir – but he ran into me in the corridor, and then he starts up with me! Trying to pick a fight if you know what I mean, sir!"
Albus waved his hands. "Stop – just stop that pacing. Sit down, please."
With a look of doom upon his face, Sirius sat down on the very edge of the nearest chair and awaited his fate.
"It seems to me that this rivalry has gotten entirely out of hand. You're aware of Severus' situation at home. I realize he isn't the easiest person to get along with, Sirius, but neither are you. In the past day and a half, you and your friends have succeeded in terrorizing him so that he fled into a worse situation than the one he'd left -- I don't know how he managed to stay alive in the Forbidden Forest, but we are most fortunate that the story had a happy ending."
Sirius shrugged ruefully.
"How exactly am I going to owl his parents only to tell them their son's nose was broken not an hour after his release from the Hospital Wing?"
Sirius dropped his head, then looked up with a hint of a smirk on his good- looking face. "Well -- it WAS a pretty big target, sir," he said, hoping to win a smile from the Headmaster.
"Oh, please, Mr. Black," Albus snapped, not inclined to smile in the slightest. "Work with me on this. It doesn't help the situation a bit to behave in such a casual manner. I realize you're off the Quidditch team for the season and you're angry about it. But listen to me carefully, Sirius. I want you – and your friends – to stay as far away from Severus as you possibly can. Do you understand?"
Sirius dropped his eyes. "Yes, sir."
Silence.
"If things go well over the next week or so, sir, do you suppose James and I might rejoin the team?"
"That was Professor McGonagall's decision, and one not taken lightly. I will not overrule her in that regard. You may wish to plead your case yourself, but frankly, Sirius, your position isn't a strong one right now. In fact, your behavior mandates the deduction of forty additional points from your House total."
"What?? But, Headmaster!"
"Just deal with it, my boy. Don't you have another class starting shortly?"
Stunned into silence, Sirius Black nodded.
"I appreciate your coming in for our talk," Dumbledore sighed, patting the young man on the shoulder. "Do what you can to get along with the other Slytherins, too. After all, you're classmates, not enemies."
Sirius gave Albus a curt nod, then turned and walked out the door.
"Don't be too sure of that, sir," he murmured to himself as the gryphon staircase made its short descent.
