Chapter 60: When Absence Leads To Pain

{A/N: Here's Another Update...}

My Thanks To All My Readers And Reviewers...Enjoy-S.S.

The Room of Requirement, Hogwarts, Wizarding World...

Being a relative guest of the school had not changed much about Hermione's attitude about it or Dumbledore for that matter. She took the time when not with Phaeron to explore certain parts of the school she had not been to since before the war. The room of requirement seemed to have repaired itself since the fire and everything inside had been as if nothing ever happened to it. The young witch caught sight of the familiar Mirror of Erised and found herself drawn to it.

She knew all to well what she would see when she looked into it. The truest reflection of her heart's desire and one she couldn't run and hide from no matter how much she went about as if nothing ever happened. The memories of her time with her less than savory husband had been unrelenting as she stared into the glass. She could see him as clear as day, the same ever present scowl across his sallow pale face. He wore his usual ebony robes and glared at her from his folded arm stance. His lengthy raven hair so much like their son's as it fell at his shoulders.

"Severus." said Hermione unable to keep her voice from breaking.

The Potions Master flashed her a weary smile as she reached out to touch him but was deterred by the cold glass that held his image. Another old reminder that he had not really been there shook her out of her wishing thoughts and brought her back to her senses.

"I'm sorry." said Severus from beyond the glass.

"It wasn't your fault." replied Hermione sadly as she again turned away from him.

The image faded and Hermione decided now was a good time to look in on Phaeron.

The Infirmary, Hogwarts, Wizarding World...

Phaeron had been tossing and turning in his sleep. The images of his nightmares so vivid and yet so distorted at the same time. He heard the voice of a man he never knew deep and gruff, filled with rage and hatred as he found himself running up the stairs inside a strange house that he had never seen before. There was someone crying and then there was screaming followed by a the sound of flesh being struck. Phaeron's heart raced as he fumbled about the strange house in his dream seemingly desperate to get away from some strange man who's face had been blurry.

{ He was a rather large man, tall with a good bit of weight on him as he came stomping up the stairs with murder in his eyes. His hair had been dark brown and his the same as he reached the top of the stairs. His gruff voice seemed to strike terror in the heart of Phaeron as he looked down at his trembling pale hands only there weren't his hands.

These hands were small and scared.

The man grabbed Phaeron by the collar and flung him into a nearby wall.

"You think I like having to chase after you!?" shouted the angry man. "Next time you come when I call fucking little bastard."

Phaeron blinked and found himself ejected from the body of what appeared to be a pale six year old boy with raven hair and obsidian eyes. Neither the gruff man nor the small boy seemed to notice that Phaeron had been a spectator for whatever was going on. Tears streamed down the small boy's sallow pale cheeks.

The young boy with raven hair was suddenly seized by the gruff man and struck across the face.

"Stop your crying, fucking sissy." said the man as he struck the boy across the face again. "I got a feeling you gonna turn out to be some kind of queer or something just as stupid as your mother."

The six year old grew silent as Phaeron watched the strange man. He was filled with an intense anger that he couldn't place. He dropped the boy causing him to sprain his wrist and left the house in search of another liquor bottle to crawl into. Phaeron turned his attention to the small boy who struggled to get to his feet.

They had looked so much alike he and the boy.

So much it was confusing.

Phaeron had not recalled this being among his memories, his child hood had been filled with as much happiness as his mother and godparents could force on him, much to the young boy's chagrin.

"Severus." called a woman's voice from below the stairs.

Phaeron noted how frantic and broken it sounded.

"Severus where are you?" called the voice again.

"I-I'm here mother." replied the six year old boy with raven hair.

His voice was soft and barely above a whisper as he spoke. Gathering himself, he made his way down the stairs toward his mother doing his best to put on a brave face for her despite the blood and swelling from the blows he weathered from his bastard of a father.

The woman with raven hair and obsidian eyes stood at the foot of the stairs and threw her arms around the trembling boy. Her face was just as pale as the boys and she had quite a few bruises of her own from the drunken prick.

"I-I'm okay mother." said the raven haired boy known as Severus. "Really."

The woman smiled at him wearily and tussled his lengthy hair.

"You're going to need a hair cut." she said.

"No way." replied Severus with a weary smile of his own. "My hair's just fine."

Apparently he had no desire to be given one of those ridiculous bowl hair cuts that had been so commonly issued out to the other children. A sentiment that Phaeron shared of course recalling how his own mother often tried to do the same to him. It was a nice pause in the moment considering what had just transpired between them and the drunken brute.}

"Phaeron." said a familiar voice.

The young Slytherin wizard shifted in his sleep.

"Phaeron Severus Sebastian Snape you hear me." said Hermione narrowing her eyes at her sleeping son.

"Mother..." groaned Phaeron.

"Don't you "Mother" me young man." she said with her hands on her hips.

Phaeron blinked and looked around. He suddenly recalled the drunken brute of a man and lept out of bed.

"W-Where is he?" he asked suddenly alert and ready for a fight.

Hermione looked at her son in confusion.

"What in Merlin's name are you talking about?" asked the witch with an arched eyebrow.

"I-I there was a boy he...he looked like me but was smaller..." Phaeron went about explaining his apparent dream. "H-his father was beating him and his mother...they were bloody and had all kinds of bruises."

Hermione's eyes widened.

"Phaeron listen to me very carefully." she said. "Did you touch anything...anything that use to belong to your father?"

The young Slytherin looked at her confused.

"No." he replied sure as to why she had asked him such a thing. "When Potter tackled me I just heard his voice and then everything went blank."

"What did he say to you?" asked Hermione trying to figure this out.

"H-He said I will not lose you to a Potter." said Phaeron recalling his father's words. "H-He seemed really angry and then I don't remember what happened next."

Hermione sighed. She had feared her son had some how come across his father's pensive. She had left it in her husband's untouched quarters along with the rest of his things, the castle sealed it away so no one would touch anything and there it remained hidden until her arrival.

"Okay." said Hermione stroking her son's pale cheek. "Get back into bed...it was just a bad dream."

"It felt real." said Phaeron stroking his neck where the drunken brute gripped him before he turned into the six year old boy.

After a moment of consideration he recalled the boys name from the dream.

"Severus?" he said looking at his mother. "She called him Severus in my dream."

Hermione sighed.

"You're father's spirit has a strong presence here." she said understanding. "Perhaps you've tapped into some of his left over memories."

"Perhaps you're right." replied Phaeron taking a deep breath. "Anyway...what have you got for me?"

The witch turned her attention from her thoughts back to her son. A small smile filed across her face.

"I was going to eat this you know." she said amused. "Then I Thought about how helpless you look trapped in the infirmary until Poppy deems you worthy for release."

Phaeron's eyes widened.

"Mother." he said knowing full well what she had been hiding behind her back as she smirked at him.

"It's not like you deserve it with the trouble you've been up to." said the witch dangling a Toffee nut bar in front of him. "But here you go anyway."

Phaeron caught the bar as she threw it and immediately ripped it open and set to work on it. Hermione shook her head. He had been as bad as his father with those things. She tussled his raven hair and got to her feet. There didn't seem to be any lasting damage as far as she could tell and soon he would be released. Dumbledore saw no need to expel either boy for their folly and it only meant they could continue their magical education.

Hermione had hoped that Harry would put more effort into keeping his brat in line. Otherwise she would have no problem causing an "accident" of her own in a bid to protect her only son.

Phaeron finished off his candy bar and Hermione sat and talked with him for a little while before returning to Snape's Quarters for the evening. She met up with Draco and the two conversed briefly. Phaeron on the other hand was treated to a visit from his two friends Ursula and Zaire.

Later...

Harry Potter took one last look at a sleeping James. He wondered where he had gone wrong with the boy. He had not done anything to encourage his obscure views nor had he condoned his bullying attitude. Harry had seen enough of that world when he viewed Snape's memories in the pensive and when he attended Hogwarts during The Dark Lord's reign of terror. He himself had even become something of a bully in his quest for vengeance when he wanted to blame Snape for almost everything that had happened to him.

From Sirius' death at the Ministry of Magic offices to Dumbledore's subsequent death, Harry had been filled with outright hatred for his Potions Professor only to discover the man had been incredibly more heroic than any one he had known in all his short life. Now here he was some eleven years later looking into the face of his own son and only because Snape's plan saved them all.

Harry sighed and looked across the room to the bed with curtains drawn around it belonging to the other injured party in all this chaos. The son of the man whom he murdered the night of Voldemort's fall and his former best friend since the first day he met her on board the Hogwarts express. Hermione had tired to tell him numerous times how she felt about her husband and that she didn't believe he was as bad as he made everyone believe and now he knew for sure she was right. It was a pity it took ending the man's life to truly appreciate what he had gone through.

The green-eyed wizard made his way over toward the sleeping Phaeron not at all sure why he wanted so badly to get a look at him. Hermione had been pregnant that final year and managed to pass all her classes finishing above everyone else of course when she rarely was seen outside Snape's Quarters. Harry had attempted to apologize to her for murdering her husband but she refused to see him.

She had refused to see Ron and Ginny as well. Anyone who had anything to do with Harry or claimed that Snape's murder was an unfortunate accident was blatantly ignored by Hermione entirely. She harbored a hatred in her so deep that no one could actively blame her and those that had been present knew all to well how cruel and unrelenting Harry had been. No amount of honeyed words could ever change how brutal Snape's death had been. Particularly when Harry deliberately chose a spell he knew would have devastating effects on the older wizard. A spell that The Half-Blood Prince had created himself as a world weary teen given to spite and anger.

"I'm so sorry." said Harry Potter standing near the sleeping Phaeron Snape. "He would have been here if not for me."

Phaeron shifted in his sleep hearing the strange voice near him. His obsidian eyes sprang open at the noting of the intruder and he went into high alert mode but not before his god-brother Draco Malfoy had appeared and rushed over toward him.

"Get the fuck away from my god-brother Potter." spat the junior Malfoy in heavy contempt.

"I-I didn't hurt him." said Harry looking at Draco with weary green eyes. "I-I only wanted to see him."

"I said get the fuck away from him." said Draco in a dangerous tone.

Harry backed away from the young Slytherin's bed slowly.

"I suggest you tend to your own kid and stay the hell away from Phaeron." said Draco wanting nothing more than an excuse to smash the infamous Harry Potter's skull in.

The DADA Professor had changed a great deal since his days at Hogwarts, particularly since his days as a junior death eater and following his beloved uncle's murder. His reputation for knowing more than 10,000 lethal hexes, 20,000 spells, 16,000 charms, and not to mention his knowledge on how to brew various poisons and salves made him more than a capable Dark Arts instructor. The ruthless capacity to protect and defend those he loved without question or remorse made him a deadly enemy to any and all who would oppose him or those he loved. He made a vow the day of Severus Snape's murder never to let anything like that happen to anyone else he deemed to be family. Hermione Granger and Phaeron S

Draco walked over to Phaeron and glared murderously at Potter.

"Did he touch you?" he asked. "Did he harm you in any way?"

Phaeron looked at the sad looking man with green eyes. He looked so much like James Potter it was hard not to note that he had been the young Gryffindor wizard's father.

"No Draco." replied Phaeron. "He didn't do anything except say he was sorry."

"Of course he is." spat Draco still clearly enraged. "He'll be a lot more than sorry if he ever comes near you again."

Before Phaeron could ask why the door to the infirmary flew open and Hermione Granger came in a haze of ebony robes. Her wand was drawn and she had a look of pure rage filed across her face.

"Oh shit." said Draco with his gray eyes widening. "Potter's right fucked this time."

"EXPELLIAMUS!" shouted Hermione enraged.

Harry couldn't even get a word out before he was thrown halfway across the room and pinned into a nearby empty wall.

"Your boy is on that side of the room Potter." said Hermione with contempt as plain as day in her tone. "STAY THE HELL AWAY FROM MY SON!"

Harry tried to catch his breath but found his ribs were bruised and caused him a good deal of pain to take in air. Draco smirked rather wickedly and turned his attention to Phaeron who had jumped out of his bed with his wand at the ready. The DADA Professor shook his head noting how much the boy reminded him of his late God-father. Any act of stimulus and he was like a cat ready to pounce.

"Mother?" said Phaeron confused by his mother's sudden aggressive attitude.

He had never seen her behave this way. She had always maintained a certain air of dignity even when dueling but here she seemed to be exhibiting unbridled rage as she stared icily into the direction of Harry Potter.

"I will kill you the next time you come any where near my son Potter." spat Hermione. "There will be no need of it being labeled an "accident" either...I'll happily go to Azkaban knowing I put a murderer like you down."

Phaeron looked back n forth between his mother and Harry Potter.

"What's going on?" he asked not at all liking the floating accusations.

"Never mind Phaeron, just be sure to keep away from all things Potter." said Hermione trying to tone down the venom in her voice at least as far as addressing her son went.

"What have you done to upset my mother?" asked Phaeron jumping off the bed and gripping his wand as he glared murderously at Harry Potter.

Harry struggled to combat Hermione's rather impressive magic and get himself off the wall. She increased the intensity of the spell and he was rendered powerless.

"I-I..." started Harry with every intention on telling the boy what he had done.

"Langlock!" shouted Hermione angrily as she waved her wand.

Phaeron turned to face his mother confused by her antics.

"Mother why?" he started.

"Another time." she told him. "Harry Potter's filthy mouth should never address you...am I understood?"

Phaeron nodded in obedience.

"Yes Mother." he said.

Hermione turned and examined her son herself. He seemed to have recovered quite well.

"Get back into bed. " she told him. "When Poppy discharges you then go to your classes...there is to be no more of this with Potter am I understood?"

"Yes Mother." replied Phaeron.

"If the little bastard is intent on a fight make sure he regrets thinking you easy prey." said Hermione glaring murderously at Harry. "Even if you have to bring down Gryffindor house to do it...you are as much a Slytherin as your father and for that I am grateful."

Draco smirked approvingly.

During their school days, he never would have believed Hermione encouraging Slytherin tactics. She had been all about Gryffindor fairness and equality of rights when she had been a girl. Clearly, taking the name of Snape and witnessing the unfair and brutal way her husband was slain made her an honorary Slytherin or maybe it was just the fact that she carried one in her womb for nine months.

"I've got to get back to work." said Hermione. "I trust that you can handle yourself until term ends."

"Yes Mother." replied Phaeron. "I'll be fine."

"Good." replied Hermione. "This is the last I hear of you being in the infirmary am I understood?"

"Yes Mother." said Phaeron dutifully.

Hermione tussled her son's hair and left him with another toffee nut bar.

"See you at the break." she said. "Draco walk me to the front, I don;t believe Potter will be a problem from here on out and if he is Phaeron has my expressed permission to employ every hex you taught him behind my back to rid himself of the issue."

Draco smirked looking at Harry and left the infirmary. He should have known Hermione would have been on to him and Lucius teaching the boy his Slytherin roots. The witch was really the brightest one of her age and had the N.E.W.T.S. scores to prove it not to mention her O.W.L.S.

Phaeron glared at Harry Potter and waited until his mother was a safe distance away before he waved his wand freeing the green eyed wizard and making his way toward his bed. He drew the curtains back and stared up at the ceiling thinking about the strange scene that played before him and the even stranger dream he had.

This was turning out to be a much weirder week than he had anticipated. He hoped everything would go back to normal once he was back in class. Harry Potter made himself scarce after taking one last look at his sleeping son. He had come close to being killed by Hermione a second time that day and Ginny wasn't going to believe just how brutal and cold their former friend had become.

He supposed he couldn't blame her really but it was still quite a shock.