Haunted Memories

-Chapter Eighteen-

John

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters within J.K Rowling's story.

John rapidly put away his chemistry set, and hurried downstairs to see what the ruckus was about. Suddenly a bright green light flashed past him and he jumped in surprise, narrowly missing the jet of light. Looking around, he found strange man in dark cloths and a silver mask. They somehow seemed familiar to him. He knew them...from somewhere. This startled him into action and he ran into the room, grabbing the closest thing that he could --- a large baseball bat. Holding the makeshift weapon before him, he wondered where he would run to. Suddenly a woman was thrown into the room, followed closely by two of the strange man. They were laughing whole heartedly but had suddenly stopped when they saw him. John snarled when he realized that the woman was his landlady. Ms. Philips was a lovely lady with a gentle disposition. When she had found out that he had lost his memories and had no family, nor a place to stay, she had offered him a home. In exchange, John was to pay a small fee as rent and to help out with the house chores. However much that he hated being in close vicinities of a woman, he found Ms. Philips to be quite agreeable and even enjoyable to be with. He had found himself having a relationship with the woman that bordered around friendliness.

Now as he watched, the two man advanced towards him with strange sticks pointed at him. John sneered. What were they trying to do? Poke him in the eye with those twigs? Carefully avoiding the narrow passage between the dresser and the bed, John advanced slightly towards the man, ready to club them on the head should they make one false move. However, before he could speak, one of them pointed the twig at Ms. Philips and a bright light erupted from its end, causing John to fall back in surprise. When next he looked, he saw her flailing on the ground, blood pooling around her head. A large gash had crossed her eyes and she seemed to not be able to utter a sound. The man laughed and the other joined in soon after. Enraged and full of grief, John slammed the baseball bat across the closest man's head and heard an inevitable crack before the man fell to the ground in a untidy mess. Blood started to come from the head wound, but John didn't stop to look as he advanced towards the man who had somehow hurt Ms. Philips. The man pointed his stick towards John. But his hands were trembling and he had the eyes of a trapped deer. Several sparks came from the ends of the man's twig and shot forwards toward John. John dodged easily. Trusting his instincts, he raised his arm and let the words run through his brain as he pointed his hands towards the man. Instantly, the man shouted out with pain and doubled over. A large gash ran across his stomach, causing blood to seep through his robes and start to pool around his feet. His hands were bound tight against his body, unable to do anything, the man sobbed as the blood ran from his body, ending his life.

John kneeled down by his landlady, and watched her take her last breath before finally dying. Exhausted he held the lady's small soft hands and looked into her damaged face. His heart ached as he felt that he would never hear her soft laughter, never see those beautiful eyes staring at him again. Deep inside, he cherished the memories of spending the time with her. Their cherished afternoon tea time or the times where she would help him out in chemistry. He knew that he had a love for the woman, though he was so used to the loneliness that he didn't act upon his feelings. He wanted nothing more now than to tell her how he felt. To have her wrap those tiny arms around him. Now he stared at the cold hand before him and sighed. He didn't know what to do now. He had killed a man! Had seen his landlady die in front of him! What was he to do? Should he call the police? John stood and decided that he would run. There was nothing that he could do now, he would be a wanted man, for having killed someone. John proceeded to forget just how he had killed the man in his shock.

Severus Snape paused in telling his story. It had already been three hours since he had first started. Glancing at the two woman, he was surprised to see them watching him attentively. Minerva had taken out a tissue and was dabbing at the corners of her eyes, as if she was ready to cry. Through all the trials that he had faced, he would never understand why woman were so emotional. Miss Granger on the other hand had unconsciously moved closer towards him in order to listen more carefully. He felt his space was being invaded and was very uncomfortable with the young woman so close. However, he knew that they were all waiting for him to tell the last part of the story... how he reclaimed his memories and what he was doing at Hogwarts.

John sat in a weathered suede armchair and watched as the people walked outside. His laboratory was small and cramped compared to what he was used to. It didn't matter though, he would have to finish this project. John stared as the fumes started to rise from the concoction and put on a filtering mask before continuing. He knew that it was now at a very important stage where he would have to take care in adding the next few drops of solution into the mixture. Breathing deeply, he calmed his hands and deftly poured in the bright green solution. However, just outside his door fell down as a drunk man entered into his lab and started shouting obscenities. Startled, his arm hit the Bunsen burner and he immediately felt pain rack through his body as the flames caught on his lab coat. In blind panic, the drunk man shouted out again and tried to put out the fire, but instead knocking John's hand which was still holding the bright green liquid preciously. John stared as the liquid flew into the concoction and acted before his mind could think. Grabbing the drunken man he ran behind the couch and threw his body against the wall. Sheltering behind the couch and against the wall, he was just in time to feel the wave of the explosion hitting him. Incredible warmth touched his body as the bottle exploded, sending glass fragments to fly across every corner of the room. The drunken man had stood up at that moment and unfortunately now lay beside him with a glass fragment lodged in his right lung. John stared at the dead man and assessed that he had to run out of there before the fire started to engulf the surroundings.

Taking little else, he dodged the flames and ran out, hoping the ceiling would not collapse on him. The old building seemed to give a protest and already the flames engorged the doorway. He threw down his lab coat when the sleeves once again caught fire and shot through the doorway, right before another large flame exploded from the inner parts of his library. The chemicals in the room exploded, sending more shards flying and the whole room screamed as the angry red fires engulfed their being. John collapsed two houses away from his lab and shook the ashes from his clothing. Just when he thought he was safe, suddenly the building collapsed, sending shards and broken boards flying. Something large hit his head and John found himself surrendering to the darkness.

For the millionth time in the last five years, he found himself in the hospital facing the same blank walls and the same chemical smells. Now he knew that his solution had been destroyed and if he stayed too long, he would get hunted down by the gang members. For that little bit of money, he had agreed to create the drug for them. He had done a large batch before and had secured enough money to live for three months, but now...everything was ruined and the gang members would not be as agreeable anymore. He scowled as he ran a hand through his head and came upon a large bump. Suddenly images flooded through his brain shocking him as the pain subsided. Grabbing onto the bedside post, John stared at the ground. His headache soon plagued him and he willed himself to sleep.

Hermione gasped as the man before her gripped her hands. They had moved closer together as his story unfolded and she had found herself engrossed in his past. The man had lived a life as a muggle! Had traumatically experienced so much and forced to live a life in the shadows, even when he had forgotten all that had gone on in the wizarding world! It seemed like everything in this wizard's life would not leave him alone. It would always haunt him. She stared into his eyes as he took a deep breath and started to continue on. She allowed his hand to hold onto her own as her heart cried out desperately to warm his cold fingers. He didn't seem to realize that he was gripping her hands as he started again.

As John awoke he knew that something had happened to trigger the memories laying dormant in the far corners of his mind. Not only that, he had a name now...Severus Snape. The memories eluded him and yet haunted him at the same time as bits and pieces floated towards his consciousness, allowing him a glimpse into his past. Carefully, he stood and wandered about the hospital room, allowing the circulation to come back into his legs. No sooner had he walked a few steps when a woman with light brown hair and a voice reminiscent of Madame Pomphrey came in.

"John Doe! How dare you get up from your bed! I will not allow this, get back in bed now!"

Severus scowled but obeyed the woman. Though a muggle, she was entirely too scary to deal with at this moment. Not when he had just suffered from a mild concussion. The nurse studied him over her round oval glasses and then nodded. She poured him a glass of water from his bedside table and then gave him the glass. "You know, John. The police have been itching to come in and find out what happened to you. You disappear from your home for a year. Then end up in the vicinities of a burning building, suffering from a mild concussion. It's hard to believe that you had nothing to do with either incident."

Severus sneered. He tried to keep his face from showing any emotion at the mention of him disappearing from his home a year ago. The pain that stabbed his heart meant that he had not gotten over his grief for the sweet tempered Ms. Philips. "I know that Mary. However...I have heard of Ms. Philips death. I could not stand to go near my home again after that."

Mary sighed. She closed her eyes for a moment before continuing, "The police will not believe you. You must have a witness...someone there to claim your innocense. What were you doing near that burning building?"

He looked uncomfortable. "I lived there."

Mary's eyes widened and she looked at him in shock. "Well...I'm glad you're alive. Did you have a roommate?"

He quirked an eyebrow and shook his head. Mary nodded pensively and spoke. "They found the body of a man in your flat. It looked like he had been stabbed by some glass shard, killing him instantly."

Severus knew what the woman was implying. She had known him for about a year and a half when he had first come to the hospital. But he had not been very opened about his past and his disposition was not as agreeable to everyone. However she had put up with him. Severus knew that there was a certain trust between them but it did not extend as far as these criminal activities which seemed to haunt him. He didn't know how to answer but just nodded silently.

Mary stood up and excused herself. She was afraid for the man. He had no past, no memories whatsoever of what could have caused him to appear in the small town with injuries a normal man would not have lived from. She had hoped that there was someone out there that knew who he was but unfortunately a year had past and no one came to shed light on the matter. He had always been a quiet sort of man, sarcastic and rude sometimes, but always there when you needed help. He learnt things fast and studied harder. She had been so proud when he entered into university and gained himself a reputation in the science department. Majoring in Chemistry, he had been a proud addition to the university. Now however, she was torn apart with the hopes that the police cases had nothing to do with him and the fact that all evidence shows him having been involved in some matter.

Severus was pained with her departure. The memories started to run through his head at a faster pace, causing him to gasp with pain as his head started to throb more violently. Spending the night in the hospital was not something that he enjoyed and the prospect of having the police after him was an even more unwelcome event. Grabbing his clothes from the chair beside his bed, Severus headed towards the familiar bathroom and started to dress himself. Moments later, he found himself heading out the back door entrance of the hospital, where staff and volunteers usually sit around on their coffee break and smoke a few cigarettes. He wouldn't mind having a few drags himself as his head started to pound even more. He stumbled momentarily when one thought flew through his brain. A elderly man that he had seen in his nightmares. The man looked at him with a pleading in his eyes. The sound of his name being called almost desperately. Finally a blinding green light engulfed the man, sending him flying off the tower. Severus breathed deeply, trying to keep himself from falling. Albus Dumbledore. His mentor, his friend, his father figure. All those years rushed through his mind as he finally remembered all that had happened before his five years in the muggle world.

Severus pulled himself up against the brick walls and tried to breathe. Every single memory of his past flooded into his brain, causing him to reel back from the haunting memories. The pain from the many deaths that he had witnessed, rip through the very being of his soul. He knew he had to get out of there, had to go to somewhere where he could relax and free his mind. Instinctively, his body carried him to the place where he had first been found. The old abandoned warehouse. The place where his wand now resides.

A/N: I would like to thank everyone for reading. I know it has been a long time since my last update. Things have really gotten hectic lately. Thanks again. Um..thinking of adding more romance. Enjoy! I promise I will post more regularly. I hope... ?