Chapter 11
Deleted scene/Omake
*record scratch*
*Dramatic voice over* One week ago, in a parallel universe!
Or, what would have happened if Snape had even a smidge less of self control.
Snickers were heard, scattered around the room. Snape looked around at all of the snickering students.
This, it seemed, finally tipped Snape over the edge.
He looked around at all the students who were laughing at his expense. His eyes wide and blood shot, his lips pulled back in a snarl. His face was drained of all color. Severus Snape looked, for all intents and purposes, demented.
Snape's head swiveled around to look at Ahsoka, the spawn of one of his greatest enemies (in his mind at least). He saw how she was smirking, not paying any attention to him. Instead was doodling away in her notebook. And at that moment, Snape ceased to see Ahsoka, he saw her father. He saw Sirius Black, smirking at him, looking exactly as he was when he saw the article stating that Black was innocent, with his picture next to it.
All higher brain functions ceased after that. Snape dived over the table, his hands outstretched like claws, reaching for Black's neck. Laughter rang in his ears. The combined momentum of him leaping across the desk, and Black jerking back, caused the chair he sat on to fall back onto the ground. Black's head cracked onto the ground, slowly his movements long enough that he was able to wrap his hands around his neck.
Snape began to squeeze. All the while Black's ever present smirk never left his face. A smile slowly began to spread across his face as he felt the life drain from his enemy.
"Die Black!" He cried. "DIE!"
He felt a sudden sharp pressure in his side. Looking down, he saw something sticking out of his robes. With one hand still wrapped firmly around Black's neck, he reached down and pulled out whatever it was. Holding it up to his face he saw that it was covered in blood. His blood.
He coughed, and specks of blood fell onto Black's face. Snape's vision began to fade, until there was a cry of, "Expelliarmus!"
The force was such that Snape was thrown away, off of Black. His body collided with several desks and chairs, until finally his back smashed into the wall. Snape slumped to the floor, unconscious.
Ahsoka looked back down at her notebook, smirking as she thought, "He actually fell for it!"
She jerked back, looking up as Snape lunged at her. Her chair falls backwards, and Ahsoka reaches her hands out to grab anything to keep herself from falling. But it's too late, everything is out of reach. And like the chair, her back slams into the floor.
The back of her head cracks on the hard stone floor, making her see stars for a moment. Ahsoka is briefly aware that her classmates are screaming. Shouts of her name, of "Stupefy!", "Help!", "Somebody do something!"
However Ahsoka was far too busy to pay that close attention as there was a pair of long skeletal fingers wrapped around her neck. Trapping the air in her lungs. She began to claw at Snape's face, hands, arms, anything she could reach like a drowning woman clawing for air.
Looking down and seeing that Snape had straddled her in his delirium, Ahsoka did the only thing that she could think of doing.
She kneed him in the groin.
And nothing happened. It seemed as if Snape didn't even feel it. Ahsoka's vision started to go fuzzy, and she knew that she only had seconds before she passed out. Looking around, she searched for something that could help her. And that's when she saw it.
Looking to her right, Ahsoka saw her quill lying on the ground from when Snape had knocked all of her things off of her desk. Reaching out, she stretched as far as she could, her lungs screaming at her. The blood in her head, pounding. Until finally, her fingers brushed it, and Ahsoka was able to pull it towards her, and then grab it.
Getting a firm grip on it, and with the last of her strength, Ahsoka rammed the quill up into Snape's side. As far as it would go. Then, her vision faded completely, and she fell into nothingness.
Harry bit his lip and ducked his head down, trying to hide his smirk. Glancing over at Ron and Hermione, he saw Ron snickering. Hermione was trying to hide her giggles behind her hand. The sound of screaming, and two bodies crashing to the ground brought the three's attention to Snape straddling Ahsoka, choking her.
All three of them leaped to their feet as the rest of the class screamed and panicked. Running around like chickens with their heads cut off. Running forward, they each took a hold of Snape and his robes and gave several hard pulls. Snape didn't budge.
Turning to Ron, Hermione hurriedly said, "Ron, find a Professor!"
Ron nodded, turned and ran out of the classroom as fast as he possibly could.
Hermione, remembering what she had read about more advanced spells. She focused, waved her wand in the correct pattern and said, "Stupify!"
She was most disappointed when the spell failed. Or more like, she wasn't able to do it. I mean, it is a fifth year spell.
Harry pulled out his own wand. Pointing it at the Potion's Master, he cried, "Expelleamus!"
Harry's adrenaline and magic were so strong and so high at that moment, that the spell blasted Snape off Ahsoka and clear across the classroom. Banging into everything in his path, until Snape was smashed against the wall.
Hermione ran to Ahsoka's side. Using the first aid knowledge she learned from her parents, Hermione stabilized Ahsoka's neck as best as she could. She wanted to wrap Ahsoka's head too, but was afraid to move her neck.
Hermione stood up, turning to Harry and said, "Keep an eye on her, make sure that she doesn't move around. I'm going to go check on Snape."
Hermione took two steps away from Ahsoka and Harry, when Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Ron a few seconds later came running in. Less than a minute later, Madam Pomfrey followed.
Before they could ask what had happened, Hermione was rattling off the details and information.
"Okay," McGonagall ordered, loud enough so everyone could hear, "everyone up against the wall! Give Madam Pomfrey some space!"
Pomfrey did what she could for first aid, but she needed to get them to the Hospital wing. With McGonagall's help, the two of them levitate the two unconscious people out of the classroom, and up the castle. Leaving Dumbledore to get the story of what had happened from the students.
"Ron, find a Professor!" Hermione ordered.
Ron jumped into action, racing out of the classroom and down the halls as fast as he could possibly run.
Skidding around corners, barely avoiding slamming into walls. Ron ran all the way to the entrance to the dungeons. Only for Dumbledore and McGonagall to run past him in the direction of the potion classroom. Dumbledore looked livid.
Shrugging his shoulders, Ron spun around, and ran after the two professors. Barely able to stay within six feet of them, they were running so fast. Ron was out of breath when he finally did manage to catch up with them in the classroom.
Dumbledore was not happy. He stormed into his office, marched over to the fireplace. Throwing a pinch of floo powder into the fire, he stuck his head into the green flames. Pulling his head out, Amelia Bones and several of her Aurors came through with her shortly after. Dumbledore did this two more times. Next was Penelope Zonko. And lastly was Sirius Black.
Sirius and Penelope looked around in confusion, not knowing why they were here.
Sirius spoke up, "Dumbledore, why are we here?" It was then that he noticed the oddly serious, and angry look on Dumbledore was sporting.
"Penelope does he know?" Dumbledore asked.
Penelope worked her jaw, not knowing what to say. But Dumbledore could see everything that she wasn't saying, written on her face.
"Does who know?" Sirius asked.
Amelia Bones pulled out a letter from her pocket, "I was on my way to give this to you when Dumbledore called."
Bones handed the sealed letter to Sirius. The room was silent as he read. And read it again. And then read a third time just to make sure. Slowly Sirius lowered it, carefully folded it back up and put it back into the envelope. Everyone looked at him in suspense.
He turned to look at Penelope, then brought a hand up to his mouth as he thought about what he needed to say.
Finally he said in a false calm voice, "If you ever treat Ahsoka like that ever again, I don't care what for, I will fight you for her."
Penelope's mouth fell open, she was about to respond, but luckily Dumbledore brought the attention back onto him.
Clearing his throat, Dumbledore said, "Now that we have that out of the way, onto the real reason that I have asked you all to come here." Dumbledore paused to collect his thoughts. Taking a deep breath, "Ahsoka has been attacked."
"What?!" Penelope cried.
"By who?!" Amelia demanded.
At that moment Dumbledore looked every bit his age when he said, "Severus Snape."
"WHAT?!" Sirius jumped to his feet, his chair flew back from him. The various trinkets on the shelves rattled and shook with the strength of his anger.
"Where is my daughter?!" Penelope said.
"They are both in the hospital wing." Dumbledore said.
All nine people around the office bolted out of the room. As they ran and raced through the castle corridors trying to get to the hospital wing as fast as possible. As they ran, students stopped and stared as they went past. They burst into the infirmary, Madam Pomfrey looked up as they did so. Seeing who it was, she concentrated back onto the task at hand. Calling over her shoulder, "I'll be with you as soon as I can."
Dumbledore led them to the bed where Ahsoka was lying. Penelope cried when she laid eyes on her unconscious daughter. Ahsoka had bandages wrapped around her neck, forehead, and around her right hand. Sirius and Penelope stared, horrified at what had been done to her.
Bones turned to Dumbledore, her tone clipped as she attempted to control her temper. "Albus. What. Happened?"
Dumbledore looked at all of the faces now looking at him. Even Sirius and Penelope had turned away from Ahsoka to hear the story. Sighing, Dumbledore led them into Pomfrey's office. Then, once the door was closed, he told them. As he spoke, emotions played across the others faces. At first, Sirius wanted to go over to Ahsoka and give her a high five. Penelope was tempted to snicker herself (Hehe, Man-Bat). Bones on the other hand, it took every last drop of her will, not to facepalm.
However, as the story went on, their horror mounted. By the end, Penelope was being held up by Sirius, as her legs had given up on her. By the time he finished, Pomfrey came into the office, leaning against the door tiredly.
"Poppy? What is it?" Dumbledore helped the hospital's matron into her desk chair.
"How's Ahsoka?" Sirius asked.
Pomfrey sighed, "It's not good." She shook her head. "She had a fractured wrist that I was able to heal easily. But…"
"But…?" Penelope said, coming out of her stupor.
"She has a gash on her right palm. Bruising all around her throat, and back. A collapsed trachea. A split skull. Swelling in her brain. She lost quite a bit of blood when her head hit the ground. And on top of all that, she has a concussion."
Sirius and Penelope stumbled back.
"Concussions are dangerous on their own. When combined with her other injuries," Pomfrey sighed, shaking her head sadly.
"What," Sirius' voice cracks, so he clears his throat and tries again. "What do we do now?"
"I've done all I can for her. But I'm only one medi-witch. She needs to be taken to Saint Mungo's. They'll be able to give her the care and attention that she needs." Pomfrey told the worried parents.
"What can you tell us about her assailant?" Bones asked.
"Snape's injuries are even more extensive than Miss Zonko's." Pomfrey blew out a puff of air.
"Good." Sirius thought savagely. An almost inaudible growl crawling up his throat. He pushed it down when he noticed.
"He has a stab wound to his abdomen. Major internal bleeding. Four broken ribs. A collapsed lung. Fractured knee caps. And a concussion. I've done what I can to stabilize him, but he needs to go to Saint Mungo's, or he won't make it." Pomfrey informed them.
Bones turned to her Aurors, "I want Snape taken to Mungo's under armed guard. He is to never leave an Aurors sight." They nodded their acknowledgement, then Bones turned to the parents. "You two can accompany your daughter to the hospital. We leave in five minutes. Poppy, would you get everything that the healers will need?" Finally turning away from the suddenly very energetic medi-witch, and towards Dumbledore. "Is there anything else you would like to add?"
"Yes. I had Professor McGonagall escort the students who witnessed the incident to another classroom. So that you and your Aurors may take a look at the crime scene, and interview the students." Dumbledore said.
Amelia nodded in gratitude. "Thank you Headmaster." She turned back to her Aurors. "Smith, Anderson, you two take a look at the crime scene. Travers, Boot, you two interview the students. I'll send more Aurors to assist you. The rest of us will ensure that Miss Zonko and the suspect get to the hospital safely."
The Aurors snapped a salute, "yes ma'am."
Everyone filed out of Pomfrey's office, Dumbledore led the way to where McGonagall was keeping the students. While everyone else was in the hospital wing prepping the two patents for transport.
Sirius and Penelope sat in the waiting room. As the hours whittled away, and still no news on Ahsoka. They jumped with every healer they came into the room, hoping that it would be about Ahsoka, but it never was. Sirius stood from his seat, and took a step away.
"Sirius?" Penelope said, reaching for his hand.
Sirius looked back, Penelope was looking at him in question. Pointing to the stairs he said, "Going to get something to eat. Do you want anything?"
Penelope gave him her food request, and off Sirius went to collect their food. In the stairwell, with the food in his hands, he took a moment to collect himself. Taking several deep, steading breaths, leaning against the wall. His chest shook with the crushing hopelessness he was feeling. Somewhere in the far reaches of his mind, he was wondering, "Is this what being a parent feels like?"
Pulling himself back together, burying and hiding his anger and grief, under several layers of thinking of ways to get back at Snape. Sirius walked over to Penelope and handed her her food. They ate in silence, not knowing what to say.
"Food okay?" Sirius asked.
"Yeah." a ghost of a smile briefly touched Penelope's lips. "You remembered how I liked it. Thank you."
Finally, after another hour and a half, a healer walked into the waiting room. "Ms Zonko?"
Sirius and Penelope jumped to their feet.
"What is it?" Sirius demanded in his worry.
"How's Ahsoka?" Penelope asked, her voice rising an octave in her concern.
The healer led them to a private quiet room. Turning to them, the healer said cautiously, "I have good news, and I have bad news. Which one do you want to hear first?"
Sirius and Penelope looked at each other momentarily, then, turning back to the healer, "Let's start with the good news."
"Okay. So we were able to heal her more superficial injuries. Like her hand and wrist are completely healed. As is her skull, and the scalp. As well as her bruises." The healer took a steadying breath, "here's where it gets complicated. The potions to heal her throat, and brain react badly when used together. We magically intubated her to keep her breathing, while Miss Zonko's brain is being healed."
"Why did you choose to heal her brain first?" Penelope asked. "I'm just wondering?"
"Because of her concussion." The healer explained. "Miss Zonko had bleeding in her brain, and it was swelling. This is never good. Combined with her concussion, this is a recipe for disaster. We need to get that under control, before it negatively affects her concussion too much.
Healer sighed tiredly, "And this is where the bad news comes in. Concussions are dangerous on their own. When you get one, you are not supposed to fall asleep. If you do, then the people around should never wake you up, because this could be just as dangerous."
"But," Penelope said, sounding on the verge of a panic attack, "Ahsoka was unconscious when we saw her."
"Yes, because of the strangulation, and lack of air." The healer nodded, he took a fortifying breath. "Ms Zonko, Mr Black, I am so sorry to tell you, but your daughter has fallen into a coma."
"No!" Penelope sobbed, turning into Sirius' chest. Sirius himself felt numb. He only found out he was a father that day, and he was already losing her.
Silently, the healer led the two to Ahsoka's private room. Penelope collapsed into the chair next to the bed. Grasping her daughter's hand, Penelope pressed it between her hands bowing her head over them as though in prayer.
"Please. Please wake up. Please, wake up baby." Penelope quietly pleaded and sobbed.
Sirius and Penelope spent every opportunity that they could at the hospital to sit with Ahsoka. Waiting for any change. Watching as the healers came in and out with her prescribed potions.
Penelope started to tell Sirius stories about Ahsoka. Happy stories. Sad stories. Funny stories. She wanted Sirius to know the daughter that they made together.
Five days later, they finally started giving Ahsoka her first dose of potion to heal her collapsed trachea.
One week after the incident, Sirius' head popped up from where it had been propped up on his hand. Jumping up out of his chair, he pulled out his wand and conjured a quill and a pot of ink.
"Sirius, what are you doing?" Penelope said, bewildered.
"She's a prankster!" Sirius said excitedly, holding up the quill.
"Yes… and?" Penelope was waiting for an explanation.
"She's a prankster!" Sirius said.
"Yes, you said that already."
"What I mean is," Sirius said, using his hands as he talked. "She's a prankster. So, using prankster logic, if someone like myself were to prank her, prankster logic dictates that she would have to get me back. But, Ahsoka would have to wake up in order to do that!"
Penelope stared at Sirius, slowly her right lowly eyelid began to twitch. Finally she just shook her head, and rubbed her face with both her hands.
Sirius, in no way dettered, leaned over Ahsoka, and carefully drew on her face. Once he was done, he stepped back to take in his handy work and smiled. The first one in what felt like a long time. Turning around, he pulled out his wand again to banish both the quill and ink pot.
Just then a healer walked in for the routine check up on Ahsoka. Only, she stopped four steps into the room. Staring at Sirius, she bit her lip to keep from laughing.
"What?" Sirius said.
"Um," the healer pointed at Sirius' face. "You got a little something…"
"Huh?"
Penelope looked up from her hands, to see what was going on, a smile tugged on her face. Pulling out her compact mirror, she handed it to Sirius. Looking into it, his mouth dropped open. There on his face was everything that he had just drawn on Ahsoka's face.
"What the-"
Sirius' head swiveled around at the sound of giggling. Staring up at him, blue eyes groggy, smiling tiredly, was Ahsoka.
"Ahsoka!" Penelope cried.
The healer rushed out, presumably to get help. Sirius grinned down at the finally awake girl.
"How did you do that?" Sirius asked.
Ahsoka gave a crooked smile. The smile that both Sirius and Penelope recognize as the same smile that made Penelope fall for Sirius.
"Magic." Ahsoka said sarcastically, her voice soft and faint from her still healing throat.
A chuckle bubbled up in Sirius' chest. He smiled and grinned ear to ear, as he looked at the girl in front of him. Never believing that he could be this happy, or joyful, or so full of love, but here he was. He grinned as the love he had for Ahsoka, for the daughter that he never knew he had, for his little girl, rushed through him.
He went back to his chair, and sat back down. Gently ruffling her raven hair, "Hey pup."
Is this what being a parent feels like?
