Disclaimer: see Chapter One
Secrets and Lies
Chapter 20: Magical Ear
In his rooms, Severus sat rigidly in his armchair, staring into the flames of the fireplace, his nerves jangled. A house-elf would appear soon telling him to go to the hospital wing to meet with the Magical Ear researcher, Healer Otis Graham. The Potions Master frowned deeply, certain that this folly of Dumbledore's would be all for naught. He softly snorted. It's common knowledge that these magical ears are worthless. I wouldn't put it past Albus to have faked his heart attack to coerce me into this. He ran his now sweaty palms over his pants, sighing deeply.
Deep down Severus knew he wasn't being fair to his old friend. Albus would not go to such lengths to bend Severus to his will, and he really didn't need to. There were very few times in his life that Severus had defied his mentor and even those times he had eventually capitulated. Severus respected Albus Dumbledore greatly and knew deep down that the headmaster's instincts were generally correct. At least Albus was allowing him to see the ear researcher before he pushed the issue with the Mind Healer. Ron Weasley was not nearly as lucky as he was meeting with the Mind Healer today. Severus smirked, thinking, It serves him right, after striking me like that.
Albus had recovered remarkably quickly from his 'heart episode', as the headmaster called it, and was discharged from the hospital wing two days ago. Albus had even been able to keep his first meeting with the former house-elves who were residing within the walls of Hogwarts.
In his peripheral vision Severus saw Draco sidling up to him. "What is it, Draco?" he drawled, not moving to face the teen. Draco had been feeling restless since Madam Pomfrey removed the bandage from his eye and he had been following Severus around like a puppy. The Potions Master's already low level of patience was wearing thin. To his astonishment, Severus had even found the youth waiting outside the door this morning when he came from his morning shower. Draco whined about being bored and asked to 'experiment' in Severus' potions lab. The teacher did not agree, of course, since there were many ingredients in his stores that were highly volatile and he did not have the time to supervise Draco.
"I wondered if…sir?" Draco saw that Snape was not looking at him and could therefore not understand him. He knew he was getting on his mentor's nerves but he was going to lose his mind if he had to stay cooped up here much longer. Snape was not much of a conversationalist and, even worse, Draco was finding it very difficult to bend Severus to his will, as he had been able to do so easily with his mother. None of the usual tactics were serving the teen well. Draco had whined, moped and even refused meals to no avail. He moved to where he was sure his teacher could see his mouth. "I want to accompany you to the wing when you get the call."
"We have been through this!" Severus snapped. "It isn't safe for you anywhere where you could run into students. The hospital wing is very busy this time of year."
"I can't just stay here cooped up while you—"
"—You can and you will! Draco, I know this is hard for you but I cannot allow you to risk your life for nothing." Severus glared sternly at the youth.
"What if something happens to you?"
"I have thought of that, you know." Severus turned his full attention to Draco. "I'm a marked wizard. I have made arrangements for your care should something happen to me."
"What sort of arrangements?" Draco's eyes narrowed. "Who would be my guardian? Please don't say Dumbledore." Draco blanched at the very thought.
"No, he is much too busy a wizard to be burdened with you." He ignored the rolling eyes of his charge. "Remus Lupin has agreed to care for you if the need should arise."
Draco was taken aback. "I thought you hated him."
"I don't hate him…Well, not a lot anyway." Severus squirmed under the steady gaze of the teen. "I was told that you and he had developed a…" Severus waved his hand around as his mind searched for the right word. "… closeness. I had thought it might be beneficial for you to have someone in your life who would…" Severus trailed off.
"Who would actually care about me, perhaps? Don't you care?" Draco's gray eyes conveyed a deep sadness.
"Of course I do, Draco." Severus hated talks like these, never knowing the right thing to say. The teacher sat back and held out his hands. "Look at me, Draco. I'm not exactly the fatherly type."
"Considering who my actual father is, I'd say that's a good thing." Draco sat heavily in the chair opposite Severus. "I like having you as my guardian." Draco's gray eyes studied the pattern in the rug near the hearth. "You've always been there for me, even when no one else was, except…except for Mother." His vision swam with tears and he angrily wiped them away. "I miss her so much." Draco leaned forward taking his head in his hands. Looking up he asked, "Does it ever get any easier?" Gray eyes bored into black ones.
Severus swallowed the lump that formed in his throat. "It does get easier but it never gets better. Losing your mother is something you never truly get over." Severus reached out hesitantly and gave Draco's shoulder a quick squeeze. When Draco looked up, Severus looked away, embarrassed. "Did you complete the assignment I gave you?"
Draco smiled slightly, knowing that Snape cared for him and showed it as much as he was able. "Yes, would you like to see?"
Severus' answer was cut off as Dobby popped in and told the Potions Master he was needed in the hospital wing. "I'll check your assignment later, Draco. Now, stay here and under no circumstances are you to let in anyone else." Severus stood and crossed to the hearth.
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Otis Graham was a handsome young Healer who had a keen mind and inquisitive nature. Ever since he found out that this new subject had been cursed with the ear-splitting curse he had almost salivated at the thought of having him as a test subject. He had not known anyone alive who had been so cursed and relished the challenge that this subject could provide. Otis grinned as he saw the black-haired wizard approaching him with the mediwitch. Rubbing his hands together he stepped forward to meet the Potions Master.
The overexcited young man spoke so fast that Severus was having a hard time keeping up, talking at length about what to expect and what could happen as side effects once the implants were in. You would think that someone working with the deaf would speak slowly to allow the patient to understand what is being said. Ever stubborn and unwilling to admit that he had not caught everything that was said, Severus asked no questions.
The Healer, accompanied by an impossibly young, beaming female assistant led Severus to the back exam room to prepare for the procedure. The Potions Master first had to change into a hospital gown then lie still while the assistant sterilized the skin of his neck, just down and below each ear. Severus was deeply annoyed with this unprofessional witch. She kept casting furtive glances toward Graham and followed the Healer's every movement out of the corner of her eye. Lovestruck ninny! In his mind the professor decided to call her Ninny since he had not been told her name. Why do people not extend the most common of courtesies? If strangers are going to slice into my neck shouldn't I least know the names of all involved? Severus hoped against hope that Ninny's participation in the procedure would be minimal.
Healer Graham strode over, his face beaming. "You just relax, Severus. When you wake up we'll talk again." Graham nodded to his assistant who performed a sleeping charm on the former Death Eater.
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Severus slowly awoke, the harsh, white lights causing him to wince and turn his head to the side. As he moved his head he felt bandages pull on either side of his neck and recalled that he would now have the implants. He had no idea how much time had passed. Turning his head to the other side he saw that he was not alone. Ninny was with him; sitting with her legs crossed, her leg bobbing, as she chewed bubble gum. He watched her tap the tips of her fingernails with her wand, painting them a garish red. Severus rose one eyebrow and cleared his throat loudly, not surprised that he heard nothing. I knew it wouldn't work! I knew it! Severus watched Ninny leap from her chair and bound from the room. Silly girl! Severus rolled his eyes.
The door burst open and Graham entered, grinning from ear to ear. Severus never liked people with sunny dispositions and he was beginning to respect this Healer less and less. The Potions Master crossed his arms over his chest, smirking. "It didn't work," he said flatly.
Graham's smile did not waver. He tilted his head to the side, his mop of unruly brown curls springing with the movement. "You don't get out of it that easily, I'm afraid, Severus." He waggled his finger and grinned some more. "The implants have not yet been activated. I don't activate them until the subject is fully conscious."
"Subject?" sneered Severus, raising one black eyebrow imperiously.
"Er…I mean patient, of course," Healer Graham said sheepishly, his cheeks flushing as Snape snorted. "I have no wish to offend you, Professor." The cheery grin was back in full force. "Are we ready to activate the implants?"
"We? We? I am ready for this fiasco to be concluded posthaste." Severus crossed his arms over his chest, even though he knew he did not look nearly as impressive without his requisite black robes, not to mention that he was lying flat on his back with a faded hospital gown riding up over his lily white thighs. He colored deeply as he saw the twinkle in the Healer's eye. Severus would not tolerate insolence from this young whelp; he demanded the respect due to someone of his stature. "I will not be treated as some lab rat. I was told that you were a highly respected Healer and now I see that you are nothing more than a impudent child not long out of school who has the ignorance to hire a strumpet as his assistant."
Graham's eyes flashed with anger. "Mr. Snape—"
"—Professor Snape!" Severus spat.
"Professor Snape, I meant no disrespect. Cindy, if you could give us a moment alone?" Smiling, Otis waited until his assistant had gone and then shut the door and put up a silencing spell. The wizard who now glowered at Severus bore little resemblance to the amiable wizard who began his treatment. He strode the few steps to Severus' side, his eyes narrowed and his face pinched. Graham came very close to Severus' face as he continued. "I am told that my manner is somewhat reassuring for the majority of my patients. I apologize if you do not agree. I graduated early from my studies and have been in research in this particular field for the last fifteen years. I am highly trained and have received numerous awards and accolades from my peers in the field of magical ear research." He glanced sideways to the door his assistant had gone through before continuing. "My assistant is the daughter of my most generous benefactor." Otis sneered. "Certainly a man of your intellect knows that there are certain concessions that someone in my position must make in order to gain funding for my research? It is no different than the political wrangling that I'm sure you are required to perform at different times during the year. I have trained Cindy myself and only allow her to perform the most simple of tasks. I do realize that she is no scholar but I will not have her, or her money, insulted."
Otis stood straight and crossed his arms over his chest. "I have worked very hard for what I have achieved. There is no one in my field who has had more success than I, no one. If you would like to hear again I would suggest, strongly, that you put aside your feelings for me and my assistant and focus instead on hearing the beautiful strains of a Debussy waltz." Otis smirked. "Yes, your headmaster told me what importance you place on music." He leaned in close, his eyes sparkling with a manic glee. "I can give you music again, Professor Snape. You only need to cooperate and behave yourself. Do we understand each other?"
"Yes, I think we do," Severus ground out between gritted teeth.
"Good." Otis pasted the grin on his face again and opened the door. As he ushered his assistant into the room Healer Graham explained, "The professor was feeling an unfortunate side effect from the procedure and thought you were someone else, didn't you, Severus?"
Snape's black eyes bored into Ninny for a good minute before he answered in a monotone voice, "Yes, I must have confused you with someone else." Someone who had half a brain, he added to himself.
Cindy smiled. "That's okay, professor." She patted his arm lightly. "I know that people of your age can get confused easily."
Before the gaping Potions Master could say anything more the Healer spoke up. "Let's get you in this chair, shall we?"
Severus felt the two pull on his arms and lead him to a leather armchair near the door. "I am perfectly capable of walking on my own!" Severus said, but without his usual venom.
Graham pulled over a stool and sat across from Severus. "I want you to hold on to the arms of the chair if you feel any discomfort or dizziness. I have not worked with a sub—er—patient who has been cursed with your particular curse so it may take a while for me to configure the implant. I'll begin with the left." Otis gingerly removed the bandages from Severus' neck and had Cindy clean the surrounding skin of the excess healing salve.
Healer Graham placed his wand to the side of Severus' neck and focused his energies intently, his smile gone. After several seconds Severus felt a tingling in the implant area, followed by increasing warmth, causing Severus to clutch the arms of the chair more tightly. Small jolts began to shoot from his neck to his ear, increasing the heat more uncomfortably. Severus' knuckles were white as he gripped the arms of the chair, his jaw clenching. Bile rose in his throat, burning in its acidity and Severus swallowed. It felt as if molten lava was being poured into his ear. Beads of sweat appeared on the Potions Master's forehead and trickled slowly down his face. If he had not clenched his jaw so tightly he would have screamed and very loudly. How much longer? Severus thought as the seconds stretched on. I cannot take much more of this. His body began to tremble violently. Severus decided that he was going to tell the Healer to stop. This went against everything he held dear but the pain was so intense he was sure he would vomit or faint if he did not. As he opened his mouth to tell the Healer, Graham lifted the spell and the pain instantly ceased.
The Healer's chuffed grin was back. Covertly covering his mouth with his hand, he spoke, "I've not seen anyone quite like you, professor. Generally my patients complain about some discomfort during the activation."
"Discomfort, you say," said Severus, glaring at Graham. When the Healer had the temerity to laugh, Severus strongly considered drawing his wand. He knew of a curse that would cause this Healer to relive the pain he had put him through. That would take the moronic smile off his face.
Healer Graham made a show of lowering the hand that had been covering his mouth. "Don't you realize, old boy? You heard me speak, did you not?"
Severus had been so wrapped up in his own particular brand of revenge fantasy that he had not realized this. "I…I…I did hear you," he sputtered, his eyes going wide with wonder.
"Yes. How clearly do you hear me now?"
"As clearly as ever," said Severus, fighting the urge to smile. This urge to smile left him completely when the Healer said his next words.
"Shall we activate the other implant, then?"
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Draco paced the confines of Severus' rooms. He had been forbidden to practice potions in Snape's private lab and was not allowed in his office. The only rooms he was allowed to enter were the room he was sleeping in, the living room and the study. Draco walked into the study and frowned at his homework assignment. He knew he could not focus on that anymore without knowing what was going on in the hospital wing. He scanned the bookshelves, surprised to see some Muggle books. He randomly picked one out, A Tale of Two Cities, and sat down at the desk to read.
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Severus took a deep breath, feeling totally spent. He felt shaky all over and the Healer was close to him holding onto his shoulder. "Did I pass out?" he asked in horror.
"Yes, don't be concerned about that though. It does happen quite frequently with this procedure. Get some more air in your lungs. We'll try again in a few moments, alright?" Otis pocketed his wand and moved back to sit against the exam table.
Severus watched Graham move forward and snap his fingers by the Potions Master's right ear. He heard nothing in that ear. I suppose I can function pretty well with the hearing in one ear.
"I'd like to try once more, Severus, with your permission?" The Healer came to stand before Severus again and rose his wand.
Severus lifted his hand. "I would prefer if it were just the two of us in the room." Severus did not want the assistant to see him humiliate himself any further.
"Of course," said the Healer, patting Severus' shoulder. "Cindy, why don't you go out and tell the others that we'll be along in a few minutes after we finish with this ear."
Severus relaxed a bit as Cindy left the room. The Potions Master then a silencing spell up. Taking a few more deep breaths he reached for the arms of the chair, surprised to see marks from his fingernails scarring the leather.
"Don't you worry about that, Severus. It's easily fixed with a spell." Graham gave Severus' shoulder a quick squeeze. "We'll try to activate this one once more and if it still won't work I'll take the implant out and do some more work on it." Graham rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Is this the ear that was more badly infected?"
"Yes." Severus reached up and touched the ear, which still felt warm from all of the recent activity.
Otis lifted his wand and placed it to the Potion Master's right implant again. "We'll begin."
The searing pain began as intensely as it had left off. Severus' teeth were tightly clenched but his misery managed to escape and he began to moan low in his throat. Rivulets of sweat dripped from his face and into his closed eyes, irritating them further. He began to sway with dizziness. Severus was about to tell the Healer to stop when everything went black.
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Draco sat back in the chair, reading the Muggle book he had borrowed. He was surprised that the book was so entertaining. As he turned the page he heard a soft pecking. Looking up he saw his father's eagle owl at the window. Father? Draco opened the window enough to let in the owl, which dropped off the letter before quickly sailing out again.
"This is strange." He turned the envelope over and saw the wax seal bearing the Malfoy crest. Flipping it back over he saw the one word on the front, Draco. It was his father's handwriting. Should I open it? Of course, I should, it's from my father. No, wait! Of course, I shouldn't, it's from my father!
Draco used his wand to make a small hole in the corner of the envelope. Using all the spells he knew he checked for any kind of poisons. There were none.
"I'm being silly. This letter is from my father, and I'm his heir. He just wants to make sure that I'm well." Draco broke the seal and withdrew the letter. As he took to paper in his hands he felt an overwhelming sensation from his head to his toes, dropping him to his knees. His mind swam with images he could not recall seeing. He saw the image of a young woman smiling at him; he saw another flash of the same woman dead as he stepped over her body. Afraid, Draco tried to put the letter down but his fingers would not obey. He tried to get up but his legs would not obey. His head moved toward the letter, even though he tried to draw back. He read the words written by Lucius in his father's own blood.
As you read these words I write,
Give up control and do not fight.
You must allow me in your mind,
As our minds begin to bind.
You must obey all that I say,
My will be done, the only way.
Draco's eyes rolled back in his head and he collapsed to the floor, the letter still clutched tightly in his hands.
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Severus hung his head, exhausted. The second implant would simply not work. The Healer and his assistant had removed it and left him to report their mixed results to Madam Pomfrey and Dumbledore in the mediwitch's office. The Potions Master staggered slowly to his feet. He just wished to go back to his rooms and rest in his comfortable armchair before the fire. He stopped to repair the deep claw marks in the arms of the leather chair and then exited the room to go to the hearth. He saw the back room door open and Ron Weasley and the Mind Healer exited. I don't want to talk to anyone right now! Severus spun quickly around to head back the other way when he dropped hard to the floor, vertigo overwhelming him. His world was spinning out of control and although he could feel the ground beneath him, he still had the sensation that he was falling. He heard Ron Weasley come up beside him as the Mind Healer bounded back to the office to get help.
"Sir? It's going to be okay." Ron wasn't sure what would help so he simply knelt beside the Potions Master, who had curled up on his side and was moaning and squirming, his hands flailing about frantically.
Severus lunged upward, scrambling for something to stop his horrific descent. He grasped someone's arm and pulled hard, "Falling," he managed to groan out.
"I've got you." Ron held hard to Severus' arm, pulling him closer. "It's going to be okay."
Severus moaned deep from within his throat and arched toward Ron, as if in pain. Severus clutched at the teen and moaned louder waiting for the descent to finally end. The episode then ended as abruptly as it had begun, leaving Severus so drained he did not have the strength to open his eyes, nor did he care that the Weasley boy was cradling him practically on his lap as he gripped the lad's arm in an iron grip. He released his hold on the boy and lay there, unmoving.
Graham and the others rushed from the office, Graham kneeling at Severus' side. "Can you hear me?"
"Yes, " slurred Severus, his eyes still closed.
"What happened?" the Healer asked.
Severus began to answer but was so exhausted that he shook his head.
"He fell down and said he was falling. He looked like he was in pain." Ron answered.
"It sounds like a drop attack," said Graham as he ran his wand over Severus' head. "They can happen with people who have magical ears. Are you still feeling that way?"
Severus shook his head slowly. "Tired," he managed to get out, finally able to open his heavy-lidded eyes for a brief second.
"Drop attacks can leave the sub—er—patient exhausted. Some sleep for days following an attack. Let's get you into bed. We'll need to keep you here and monitor you for a while." The Healer levitated Severus onto a bed. "I hate to tell you this but patients with a one-sided implant tend to have drop attacks more frequently. You'll begin to get used to your implant and have fewer episodes." The Healer levitated some blankets over the Potions Master. "You'll need to try not to move your head in any quick, jerking motions until your body has had sufficient time to adjust. Of course, in the meantime I will be working on making some changes to the implant that didn't work so we can get it implanted as soon as possible…." The Healer would've continued on but he felt Madam Pomfrey pull on his sleeve. She pointed to Severus who was sleeping soundly.
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