Chapter 5: To Dig A Proverbial Grave
Time for a long chapter in hopes of jumping ahead a few years in the next chapter. This means there might be some more than usual spelling issues. Please excuse that.
Thanks for sticking with me and I hope you all enjoy the new chapter. Please R&R.
Severus:
He hadn't told her that he probably wouldn't be at the flat if she ever returned, and the embarrassing lack of control he held that day prevented him for saying so. School was in session and he was continuously busy with studies but found time in the middle of the next week to return and search for traces of her.
When he arrived, there was no one and he quietly stepped up to the front door. He ran his hand over the wooden slate and felt his palm pulse as he located where she had knocked a day or so before. Stepping back he half heartedly looked around. Here and there, she had left evidence of her presence that would lay unnoticed to the untrained eye and he looked around before kneeling and sliding a muggle white envelope under the doormat, allowing a corner to lay exposed before turning and apparating back to Hogwarts.
…
That night, Severus Snape sat hunched low in an armchair at the back corner of the staff room. His leg rested on a footstool as his foot twitched irritably. Albus was going on about end of Christmas schedules and exams along with the trip to Hogsmade. He adjusted uncomfortably and rested his elbow on the armrest and started biting his thumb nail in what could be seen as uncharacteristic uneasiness in the man.
His mind was other places and he glanced out the window next to him and watched as the snow piled up. Winter had been easy this year and although he hadn't seen Haven, every week or so he would return to the flat to find the envelope would be replaced with a small stone, all which currently sat in a jar on one of his office shelves, something that he kept promising himself to throw out.
Now, he watched from inside as the snow fell hard and gathered quickly across the land, he had heard from passing students it was going to slip far below freezing tonight.
"Severus?"
Severus's tooth broke through his nail as his attention lifted to the stareing Headmaster.
"Everything alright, Severus?" The old man asked looking over his glasses.
"Yes, my apologizes." He cleared his throat, "I have everything planned and prepared as I do every year, Headmaster. I have also decided to home this Christmas."
Few teachers would look at each other, as the darkened man who never never took leave informed at his first year away. He moved his gaze to the back of the couch in front of him as the headmaster continued talking. He scolded himself mentally. Obviously, this was not the child's first snow, she had been molded for the streets many years ago. It took an irritated moment of self control, but eventually he shut the thought of the child out of his head and allowed his bored state to bring him to linger on other topics.
After all if she did die, he figured, so would most of his current problems.
Severus felt his lip curve upwards darkly as his eyes slid to look out the window again.
….
The next time Severus returned to his flat would be within the final two weeks before Christmas and he noticed the snow on the stoop lay untouched and upon further inspection and pushing of white powder, he found the corner of the envelope still sticking out from under the mat. Bending down, Severus pulled the mat away to see the envelope indeed lay untouched with money still inside. There were no stones or signs of disturbance and the door held no magic aura of her touch. He looked around uncomfortably unsure of what to do, and soon, with no other choice and a quickly fading time limit, he left the envelope where it was and turned around, walked down the stairs and silently walked away.
….
It seemed to Severus, that winter would be a continuing on in a fury that year as the next two days brought more heavy snowfall in a back to back fashion, but eventually, he found himself apparating to the flat after personal anxiety became a straining nuisance. Leaving Hogwarts during the week was against code for student and staff. Of course there were a few exceptions, but he figured this had never been considered one of them.
The three snow storms over weeks had gathered a little over four feet and had been piled high on either side to show it's covered pavement walkway below. The wall reached waist height to him which with it's glazed iced surface that glint against the setting sun he slowed his steps as he approached the stoop. The area around him was an empty markless area to what he saw, but his step stopped immediately and retracted swiftly as a burning feeling erupted from under his foot.
He leaned over and quickly found the source of the power. A blood drop rest on the sidewalk and he reached his hand out, feeling for anymore and quickly found the trail. He looked around at the snow walls and found long uneven drag lines that had gone unnoticed, which hinted to weakness or imbalance. His eyes scanned the area in front of him once more, and once hitting the snow covered stairs did he see the deep red droplets leading up with the snow broken foot steps. He followed next to the trail, slowly up each stone stairs and he bit his cheek when a grouping of blood sat shining against the snow before the door. He traced his hand over the door and frowned when the aura felt weak and he scanned the deep brown surface and found the dirt and blood marks from her touch in the grains of wood.
Straightening up, he looks around. The blood was somewhat fresh, so he figured she still might have been close by and he looked for the trail, any trail past his stoop to the edges of the flat. Traveling down the stairs Severus began checking the sides of the snow, finding a break in the wall when he trailed backwards. He would follow with the tracks, pulling off the sidewalk and into the yard, he followed them in a path that lead around to the back of the flat where he stopped. Finishing the track with his eyes his face turned dark as found the steps leading to his apothecary shed.
Soundlessly, he continued on, only stepping where footsteps were already made in a silence he mastered long ago, he grit his teeth and pulled his wand when he noticed the padlock had been smashed from the latch and his eyes landed on the displacement of snow below that showed the door had been pushed opened before. It was then he leaned back on his heel and cast a spell that forced the door to fully open, flying a wave of snow before it from it's path. With wand extended, he stepped inside the doorway and found Haven hiding under the bottom shelf where for a moment he just stared down at her as she shivered from either fear or cold, he couldn't tell and didn't care.
"Always, cover your tracks." He said briskly.
He reached down and grabbed her by the jacket scruff and pulled her through the snow and in through the backdoor of the flat. He slammed the door behind them and quickly left her shivering in the kitchen. When he returned to the kitchen, he held a basic pouch of first aid and when he noticed she haven't moved an inch, he gave to her a harsh command for her not to be stupid, and to take off her soaked shoes and jackets. Leaving the pouch on the old, wooden table, he grabbed her hands checked her fingers for numbness as he wiped dirt from her road-rashed knuckles and fingers before pushing three bottles into her hand.
"Take them." He instructed before turning his heel and walking towards the living room once more.
Her voice shook as she popped open the caps. "What is it?"
"Cold medicine. " He said over his shoulder before continuing his way out, leaving her sight.
He stopped in his living room and ran his fingers through his hair anxiously. Helping people reminded him of helping cats; once helped, they tend come back often and sooner or later would find their way into your home. Taking a deep breath to regain himself out of sight, he stands up to an intimidating posture before turning on his heel, and making his way back into the kitchen and into view. He returned to see her finishing the last bottle and making a sour face before coughing.
He was ready, and took her distraction to his favor for when she looked up, she would look up straight into the tip of his wand. Her fearful eyes triggered a sick entertainment and violent arousal inside of him, and her trembling only made him grin more pronounced. His breathing slowed and thickened in this throat as she began to cower.
"Please! I'm sorry!" The voice was grotesque music in his ears, "I didn't take anything. Nothing. I promise. I was cold and dizzy and I didn't know what to do. I'll get you a new lock... please.."
He stepped closer and watched as tears begin flowing her eyes and inside him something ticked. An evil. He blinked back the eccentric and violent feeling and with a flick of his wand he watched her take a deep breath and wait for death.
Haven:
When death didn't seem to come, she squinted one of her eyes open and then the other. Her body relaxed and her breath came out awkwardly as she felt her warm clothing with her skin and then quickly, with her fingers.
Dry.
Everything was dry.
She patted her shirt and pants and looked at the dry clothing that sat in a heap on the floor as Severus grinned to himself at her surprise, until she checked her hat. She immediately squeaked in pain as rip of agony slid across her head and slowly she slid the hat off exposing her forehead. In a flash that she instinctively fought against when he grabbed her arm out of the way and stepped closer her own steps moved back as her held hand fisted.
"Stop it." His voice bit angrily at her trauma as his eyes locked on the deep and infected gash that ran from her hairline, across to the left side of her forehead and dipped down past her temple.
"What is this?" He demanded, loosening his grasp as her fighting stopped, a feeling, a sense of dark magicked energy residue catching his attention which he found in her blood and on the wound.
.
When she didn't reply, his lip snarled and her knees bowed under his painfully tightening grasp.
"It was just some guys. They asked me how I paid for five nights in a row and how I got that kind of money, then they tried to take what was left." she quickly exclaimed as her mind burned under his eyes.
"Tried?" He guessed though he knew there was a lie somewhere in her claim.
She clenched her teeth in pain and looked away but before he had a chance to push the question a light buzzing went off in his pocket as his grip was taken off her wrist and shoved into his pocket. Out he pulled a small timer, his time was up and he had to get back to the school soon. Severus straightened up and looked around quickly thinking.
"Come." He instructed harshly.
He waited for her by the door, tapping his foot in impatience, his arms crossing angrily while she pulled on her dry sweaters. They quickly left the house and Severus would push her out ahead of him making the girl break out in a light jog as when she fell short of his speed, his fingertips would dig into her back.
"Severus, what are-"
In that moment, after a minute of walking, he turned around and grabbed her arm tightly, the last thing she saw was the black hole eyes of the angry man glinting dangerously as the world dissipated around them. In a flash, everything sped by them, the world gone into a speeding haze as their bodies molded and twisted along. Soon enough she felt her knees hit hard ground as her legs instantly gave away and at once as her body doubled over onto all fours, a sudden sickness bringing her to double over and vomit onto the dirt ground.
Severus waited quietly, standing over her with his eyes moving around their perimeter for the minute it took for her stomach to run out. Gripping her around the scruff of her coat when he deemed ready, he began walking her through large metal gates.
.
"Listen to me," He hissed as they approached a massive castle.
Havens steps had started to slow and the shadow clad man had slowed to a likened speed while maintaining a tension pull on her forearm as he lead her at his side. He allowed her to look around the moon lit grounds of Hogwarts and he would watch from his peripheral as she saw the castle in all it's moon casted magnificence which trumped any doubt he had about her abilities. If she couldn't the see the beauty, then she didn't have the eyes.
He tightened his jaw as he realized that fact may be more bad than good.
"Keep your head low, don't say a word." He said sharply in a low whisper, "if anyone says anything, you will not answer and let me talk, Understand?" He growled under his breath while scanning the area in front of him.
She didn't answer him and when her pull against him became too much, he stopped to look behind him, ready to insult and order. She was standing there in the moonlight and matching snow, her eyes wide, head tilted back as she stared up at the magnificent, beautiful castle.
A beauty he always seemed to take for granted until he was in the presence of someone who had never seen such a sight, he breathed out and surrendered himself, taking a moment to look up as well with the clouds of his breath hazing his vision in the cold winter air. Taking her scruff once again, he gave a tug which she followed obediently under and together they walked up the large stone stair set to the two massive doors.
He steered her through shadows and up a large front set of stairs where he would stop her, release her, and open the door a crack. After a moment, he pulled her inside and they together, with Haven held tightly at his side, they made their way quickly through the main hall. The travel across the ground was with him mostly pulling her against her awe, and he aimed her towards a set of doors that lay hidden next to the massive staircase.
"Professor Snape?"
Severus physically flinched as a young man's voice echoed through the empty hall behind them.
"Don't look." He whispered to just her as he released her sweater and spun around and put on his best demonic attitude he was known so well by, while she stood with her back turned, her eyes looking straight at the wooden door they were heading to.
It was the Weasley Head Boy. Percy. A smart boy, a good Prefect which made him a hazard to Severus and the situation.
"And, who's that, professor?" The boy asked confidently, standing true to Gryffindor ways as he rose the quill to paper.
"Who are you?" Severus hissed with hard warning.
"Professor Snape, I am Head Boy, and has Head Boy I am instructed to know-"
"I am Professor Snape and my word out ranks yours and I say, this student is of my house and I will properly deal with his punishments.
"Well that's fine Sir, but I must insist you give me his name. Professor McGonagall will want to know in the morning."
Severus took a harsh step at Percy. He was tired of this game and of the boy's stupidity.
"Go. Away." He snarled as he leaned in and the Weasley boy who finally seemed to get the point, lowered his parchment and quill.
Severus turned around and sharply grabbed Havens' shoulder and pulled her through the dungeon door, slamming it behind him for the sound to echo the sleeping school. Once enveloped in the darkness, he pushed her ahead and let go of her clothing, allowing her freedom of the chase. He watched her walk for a moment before he easily moved by her and began to lead the way down the damp hallways.
"What is this place?" She asked amazed as they stopped in front of what she could only swear was a real, moving portrait of a man dressed in heavy fur set against a ocean background. A painting that raised his eyebrow as he looked down at her.
"This, is my office." He mocked, as the door sung open and he pushed her inside and passing her. As the portrait closed behind them on it's own, she turned from the sight of that, to the fast paced teacher that stepped around her and made his way towards a tall set of selves that he took a small collection of vials from.
She narrowed her eyes at his sudden harshness and took an uneasy step back away as he turned to her. She didn't like the way he spoke to her, she didn't like the way his steps mimicked that of violent angry men. She didn't like how the stone walls that surrounded her brought her back to cells, to sewers, to work houses.
Feeling her energy he kept his back to her and allowed his head to tilt forward and for himself to give a sigh. He turned to face her with an expression cold as stone and with his robes swinging in front of his leg, giving him a haunting appearance in the flickering candle lights against flickering the stone walls of the teachers office.
.
"This," He began in a cold and quiet voice, "is Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. This is the school you should have been sent to and this is where I work."
Hey eyes widening in excitement, "You mean there are others? Like me?"
"Similar, to you." He said curtly taking up stride towards her.
"Take your hat off." He instructed changing the topic and dapping a potion onto a rag as she carefully lifted the beani off and from over the wound.
"Sit." He stiffly directed her to a chair and once again she followed his order without realizing why.
From there he placed himself slightly behind her, and landed three fingers on her forehead before slowly tilting her head back and her eyes to slide up to him.
He never looked at her directly in the eye and eventually as he worked she would be able to adjust her neck to look around that magical office. She looked at the full book shelves that mimicked the overcrowding organization of those at his home as he brought up the rag and dabbed not so gently against the wound. She winced to the pain pushing a breath out sharply through her teeth as her neck flinched away from him and the painful sizzle.
She quickly found his fingers tightening around her chin and forcing her back to him.
"Stop it!" He ordered as sharp as the pain that ran across her forehead. "This is helping you more than harming you. Enough complaining."
He settled back into silence and and continued dabbing various potions on her forehead before applying four butterfly stitches as she looked at darkened wooden furniture to the black leather couch which sat on a deep snake printed, green and silver rug next to a tall bookshelf and across from the large teacher's desk.
Haven had stiffened her body and tried her best to control her flinching and her noises throughout as she tried focusing on the room around her. She was hiding it better now for, for the remainder of the healing session he said nothing more until he was finished.
"I will take these off. Understood?" He completed, gesturing to the stitches as he began cleaning the desk top at their side.
She nodded and he moved away as Haven dropped her hip against the desk, her weight leaning against edge as he looked her over and crossed his arms in front of him.
From here, he didn't know what to do. He needed sleep so apparating back was not an option and he couldn't tell anyone he brought her here and tomorrow the halls would again be filled with students and ghosts alike. Turning away from her, for his anger was not placed on her, he swallowed the heat rising in his stomach.
His kindness was already interrupting his life, he thought to himself angrily, gritting his teeth and regretting ever helping in the first place.
Turning back to her, he took a few steps before turning to face her, "I have to teach tomorrow, so you are staying the night here."
By here, he meant the couch he was currently pointing to and she looked behind her and nodded before sitting down in her assigned spot
"I will take you back tomorrow night. Goodnight." His voice held no emotions outside a slight irritation and before anything further could be said, he turned and sharply started to his bedroom.
"But, I have questions." her voice did not stop him, only slow the turn of the bedroom door handle.
"And I do not have answers."
..
Haven slept well and warm and slept deeply until a slamming door woke her up. She sat up into echoing silence and a smell directed her over to the breakfast sitting on the desk along with a note. She slowly read the words that he clearly printed out for her to understand as he knew she was never educated in script.
In a way she was insulted. In another she was thankful.
He had written down his class schedule with his teaching times. He wrote for her to entertain herself without taking anything and that if he could, he would check up on her. He wrote that tonight he would bring her back and compensate pay for the hours lost. He also told her, under no circumstances that she was to leave the room or answer the door for anyone.
Looking around for something to do, she would eventually find his lavatory after walking through his ancient looking, beautifully furnished bedroom set colored in deep greens and blacks with outlines of glittering silver where she would wash up her face for the morning. Back out in the office, she would pull a book from the office shelf after many minutes of binding reading and sat herself on the couch.
She didn't look at the pages right away, instead she looked around at the candle lit room with no touch of modern anything. Dressed in all the wonder of Victorian architecture she was sitting in a papalce only known from books. She was dreaming. She had to be... Look at this place..
It was a few slow hours later, when her eyes turned to the pages of colored potions, creatures and diagrams, to the alerting sound of a small tapping on the door.
Her heart skipped a beat as she looked around the office unsure of how to respond and thinking it be best to hide, but the door clicked open anyway and her eyes widened as an elderly looking man with a long white bread and Merlin style robes stepped into the room. He was closely followed by a stiff faced Minerva McGonagall, who closed the portrait quietly behind her while keeping familiar eyes on Haven from behind the magical looking man.
"Welcome to Hogwarts," The old man began in a calm, fatherly tone, bringing her belly to churn uncomfortably as she watched the door shut without Severus. "It's a pleasure to have you here. My name, is Albus Dumbledore and I am Headmaster of this school."
He smiled gently, unfazed by the hard scowl she gave back to him as in silence, Haven started to panic as her inner walls climbed higher and higher as the room seemed to shrink around her. She wanted to leave, she wanted Severus to make these people go away. She wanted to make these people go away. Her legs started twitching and her hand closed into fists as she thought of her hidden clipped knife.
Albus's eyes twinkled and while still looking at Haven, as if he knew, he said aloud in a chipper voice, "Minerva, could you wait outside, please."
McGonagall, the woman Kayne recognized from that night, turned to face the headmaster with eyes widened and a stiffness setting into her posture. "Headmaster I, -"
"Please, Minerva." The old man's voice now laced with a seriousness.
Minerva looked at Haven and sighed, shaking her head as she turned towards the door and left, shutting it softly behind her.
"Dreams are a beautiful thing," the supposed headmaster sighed looking around the office once they were alone, "but one must not become lost in that world."
"This world is made of dreams."
He gave a meant chuckle as he pulled over a wooden chair and placed himself in the middle of the room.
Haven remained sitting on the couch with the book on her lap though she watched herself running to and out the door. She bit her lip as she returned her gaze at the elderly man that sat before her and slipped the book off her lab, her fingers brushing the metal of the back pocket kept knife.
"Did you know," He asked over his glasses. "That if one becomes lost in dreams and fantasy for too long, they may actually lose themselves?".
"Than what is this?" She thought of hospitals and asylums.
She had seen what drugs did to people. She had seen the end result of who people became and what they did. Insanity was a part of her life, a part which she became numb to quickly.
"What is your name?" Albus asked gently as Haven began to rise.
"Haven."
Albus leaned back in the chair and gave a slow nod as Haven stepped from in front of the couch.
"Do you dream of haven's often, Jessica?"
Havens throat dried as panic set in. She felt her body pulse and their hair on her neck and arms rise with a warm static feeling. As overload set in, her ears became to sensitive to any noise and her eyes scanned the room for any movement as she saw everything. With no other option but to leave, she began her longest walk against the back wall of the office, her shoulder staying close to the wall, her eyes holding on the elderly man she began her way cautiously to the door.
"I'm going to leave now." She informed in a hard, voice.
She could beat him no problem so she wasn't afraid, she was cautious. She knew the old man couldn't protect himself from her knife or even a push, he had no fight against her staggering age benefits but there was magic she knew no limit of. Looking towards the door, she wouldn't see the headmaster's face drop to one of sadness for the child.
He saw why Severus was drawn to her now.
So much like what he used to be, she was now; a delicate reminder of past pain.
By now, she had slipped around a table and was slowly but confidently moving around him as he sat in the center of the room, each keeping eye contact with the other.
"What a life you must lead to make one so young as yourself, fear so many things." He replied quietly dropping his gaze from her.
She froze to his words that felt intrusive to her being, and she pushed the drawn knife tightly against her outer thigh, out of view.
"My dear, I assure you, I am not here to harm. I wish only to help you."
"You can't help me!" Her eyes narrowed dangerously at the man.
"But, Severus can?"
Haven's voice faulted as did her next step as a twinkle appeared in the Headmasters eyes. He was right, she knew nothing about the man but still he was who she wanted then. Albus smiled understandingly and Haven loosened her grip and relaxed her breathing slightly.
"How do you know him?" She mumbled and the man gave a hearty chuckle.
"I hired him." He sighed, "And I taught him."
They stared in silence at each other. The wizard slowly lifting to his feet, calmly dropping his hands to his sides, on his face he wears a warm small smile one that is genuine. His calm patients was allowing her all the time she needed to speak first for the child that moved tense and as if she was a frightened animal.
She jumped when the portrait door swung open and Severus walked into view. The teacher froze in mind-stride as his eyes darted back and forth between the smiling Headmaster and the strike ready, Haven.
"Headmaster I-"
"Why Severus, I'm slightly insulted you did not introduce me to your young guest."
"I'm slightly insulted you let yourself into my office." Severus quipped, but quickly dropped his gaze as the Headmaster gave a warning look.
By now, Minerva had slipped back in before the portrait closed behind him and she stood against the wall behind the Potions Master, wearing a small, strict, cocky smile. Dumbledore gave a soft smile of his own and his eye's twinkled at his youngest colleague.
"It was medical, Headmaster.." Severus explained quietly from the corner of his mouth as he watched the two before him in a side cast gaze.
"I see that Severus," the Headmaster said, inspecting Haven's closed wound and stitches from afar. "But I suppose my question lands on, why she looks so unfamiliar. Or, why she is not in class."
Severus fumbled his next words and quickly returned to silence as the shrinking/student feeling rose significantly within himself. The room stood in silence as Albus waited for an answer.
Minerva figured she could do the friendly thing and help the man out, but after their earlier argument a feeling of satisfaction instead rose as she decided against it. She gave him a smirk as he looked behind at her for help.
"Minerva, do you know anything about this?" Albus asked.
Severus wasn't asking for help, she should have known better. He was pushing the weight around to get attention off himself and Minerva glared daggers at him as he succeed.
"No, Headmaster. I know nothing about Severus secretly bringing a young girl into the castle."
Her wording made the man snarl and she greeted his anger with a wider smirk.
Albus pushed further, "What about the child herself?"
It was Severus's turn to grin as Minerva faulted and the Headmaster turned to his Deputy Headmistress.
"Well.. Yes Albus. I know of the child, but only had the pleasure of meeting her once, when Severus brought her to my door."
The weight was pushed back and forth like a see-saw in a childish blame-game. Still, Albus watched entertained as the two teachers continued their horn locking behavior. He allowed a few moments to pass before turning back to Haven who had by now slithered close to the door, while trying to look small against the shadowing bookshelf.
His gentle voice would silence the pair, "What house are you in, Haven?"
Haven's eye's went to Snape who immediately looked away from her. A sinking, abandoned feeling ripped through her chest as she tightened her grip on the was on her own now. There was only so far Severus was obviously willing to protect, and unfortunately that time had been met in the space between him and the headmaster.. A sudden vision of her dream with Tom Riddle flashed through her mind and she focused on the green printed name on the silver badge.
"Slytherin." She replied, and all eyes suddenly focused on her, forcing her back a step and into the bookshelf. Her thumb pad flicked over the top of her blade which now lowered into view as Dumbledore looked at both of the confused looking teachers.
"Severus, you looked shocked. Why is that?"
Haven's eyes widened as she realized whatever she said related to Snape, which now forced him further into the situation.
"Severus, my boy. I tell you as a trusted friend of many years along with the fact, I am your superior. Tell me what's going on."
Severus looked down defeated and after a moment met eyes with the old man. He hated that he could never maintain posture around the old man no matter the years known. Just as he did as a child, Severus broke under the headmasters bidding.
"She never got her letter." he admit quietly between teeth.
The intentions Snape had now, was to be as short as possible and finish the conversation as quickly as possible, but the attempt always seemed to fail with a man like Albus Dumbledore.
"And you- ?" Dumbledore promoted.
"Found her." Severus finished, and Albus raised his eyebrows before preparing his next question.
"She more than just missed, Headmaster," Minerva interjected, stepping closer behind Snape's shoulder.
"Severus has found an unmarked and missed witch."
The wizard stood for a moment, looking at the three before him before continuing.
"And your sure -"
"Yes headmaster." Severus nodded.
"How about Leg-"
"Advanced." It was not everyday that Severus would interrupt the Headmaster, but there were things that could not be said in front of Haven.
"And your theory?" The headmaster continued in silent understanding.
"So far proven."
Albus eyed Haven carefully before turning back to the two staff members.
"Does she have family?"
"No." Haven's voice bit and the Headmaster turned to her.
"She, um." Severus started dully trying to find the correct words. "doesn't like it when you talk of her like she's not here." The repeated words slipped over Snape's tongue as if on a script and the headmaster gave an amused look.
"Well then, my sincerest of apologies, my dear." He nodded his head and slightly bowed to Haven.
"I want to go home." She demanded.
"My dear. It's very cold out and I would think you would-"
She moved her knife hand up, catching the blade in the candle light for all to see, a move rewarded with the rising of the headmasters own wooden weapon. To Haven, in all her rushing anxiety, she felt the room seem to slow as the hair rose on the back of her neck and a static ringing pierced through her ears,
"I want to go, home!" She commanded again.
"Where is your home?" Albus asked with a wave of his wand as she took another step closer to the door that she now stood only feet in front of her.
Haven faulted on the question and felt her vision pulled back to normal and her eyes open from it's tunnel vision. Her hearing tuned to the heavy silence of her heart beat and the remaining static that rang dully in her ears quieted quickly.
"Very interesting," Dumbledore muttered, allowing his wand to drop and his eyes to travel up and down Haven, finally landing on the knife.
"Okay." He gave up, "I expect Severus would be alright with escorting you out?" He extended his look to the Potions Master who took steps forward and stopped in front of the young girl. He gently pinched her wound together, and slowly lifted the butterfly stitches, allowing his fingers to loosen completely when the skin held and did not rip open. From there, he took the other three off before turning heel and stepping to the exit as her once infected wound now sat a dull pink and clean.
"Come on, now." His voice was sharp when he stalled following.
Severus:
Their feet echoed as they made their way through the empty dungeon hallway. Everyone was at dinner as planned and Severus shoved his hands in his pockets grumbling about various irritating things as they walked. They picked up speed through the main hallway and continued wordlessly out through the front doors and onto the property. They walked in silence over the grounds and through the large metal gates which is where Severus turned around sharply. Haven, who had been watching him walk , was there to stop when others and once herself, would walk straight into him.. He stood for a moment glaring darkly at her and his accomplished lessons.
"Where are we going?" He asked shortly.
Haven looked down and dug in the ground with her foot. He waited silently, looking around annoyed.
"I don't know..." Her voice trailed and Severus gave an irate sigh before grabbing her arm and once again her world dissolved into a nauseating rollercoaster.
When they landed, her stomach held and he looked down at her as she got to her feet. They stood at the train platform of Spinners End, she turned to look up at his hallowing glare. Without a word he extended an envelope which she quietly took. It was heavier than normal and Haven examined the outside before shoving it in her pocket.
"Thank you."
An audible pop answered her and she raised her head and sighed as she looked around the empty platform. The wind blew the cold winter air over her cheek and she settled herself on the bench before pulling the envelope from her pocket to examine the contents..
..
It had been a few days since then, and Severus sat quietly looking through potions texts in his private office at Hogwarts. He wrote down an ingredients list of things he was going to buy and gathered all his to do lists for the week. His days would continue as normal and he locked the thoughts of Haven away without a problem.
One night within his week, when wall clock chimed 11pm, his mind and life was immediately halted as his forearm erupted into pain, forcing the man to grimace. Without word or misstep, Severus would quickly change his clothes and grab a crystal bottle of expensive whisky and a shot glass he kept tucked away behind his desk, which would be placed on the table by the couch in front of the fireplace for his return. Looking around his office a final time, with a sigh, he held a special medallion and apparated from the room.
..
Severus found himself in an empty hallway of Malfoy Manor and quickly took stride through the large meeting hall doors and slid into a seat next to Lucius who sat next to his wife. The two exchanged stern looks before the soft hissing of Nagini echoed the room into complete silence.
The heads of many, all who sat around the table, immediately bent as the Dark Lord entered the darkened, otherwise empty hall.
"Ahh. It's ssso nice to see you all again." The false happy tone made Severus sick.
"I have the most wonderful of newssss. It seems as though a certain magic hasss... reappeared... in the muggle world. A very sssspecial brand of magic at that."
Snape raised his head to meet the Dark Lord's twisted face and almost physically shuddered as his eyes met that of the already hungry glare of Voldemort. The glare would then switch off Severus and moved onto to the man who sat beside him, and the Dark Lord would quickly place himself between the two men resting a hand on either shoulder.
"It seemsss, my Jesssssica has reappeared."
"Jessica?" Lucius asked raising his eyebrows.
The Dark Lord, tangled his fingers in the man's long blond hair before yanking his head back harshly and placing his wand on the mans throat.
"Yes. The one you let get away."
Voldemort released Lucius hair and dragged his wand over the mans throat leaving a bloody, dripping slit before placing his hand heavily on Snape's stiff shoulder.
"Yessssss, my two of many most accomplished of followers. The key you lossst so go long ago hasss surfaced once again."
"My lord -" Lucius began, his hands remaining on the table and off his bleeding wound.
Voldemort's fingers struck down and wrapped around Severus's adams apple and tightened onto sensitive pressure points forcing the man out of the chair and onto his knees. Lucius stopped speaking immediately and watched Severus gasp.
"I taste her magic on you, Severus." Voldemort spoke with his face inches from the cheek of the just as pale man.
Severus's choked out nothing but gasping air when the heavy body of Nagini slid over the back of his legs, her hiss ringing just out of his peripherals.
The hand was taken back and quickly replaced by the Cruciatus curse and Severus felt his spine snap back and his mind and muscles scream as though they were ripping apart. He squeezed his eyes shut and gritted his teeth tightly waiting for it to be over, withholding a scream that broke inside his chest. After an excruciating minute the spell was broken and his body collapsed limply on the floor and he lay gasping his first breath in minutes.
The Dark Lord bent over the man and whispered softly into his ear, "Where is she?"
"My.." Severus fought unconsciousness as he took burning breaths. "my lord, I don't know wh-"
"Where is she!" He yelled now, which made the room flinch as his toe made contact across Severus's cheek bone.
"She must have brushed-" Severus coughed out once he landed on his back before another sharp curse stuck him into agonizing silence.
His failure had been enough for the Dark Lord and he made his disappointment obvious by casting thorny vines from the wooden floor that wrapped around Severus's body, holding him to the ground. The man clenched his teeth once more as the vines tightened and thrones broke deeply into his skin.
At this point, Lucius looked away from his friend and onto his hands and table.
"Find her."
The creature flicked his wand and once again Severus's body tensed under the Cruciatus curse, his strain and flinching only digging the thorns deeper and after they reached their max, the pressure stopped and Severus's body fell limp once more. The Dark Lord gave a sickening smile before flicking his wand once more for good measure.
For the first time that night, Severus gave an audible cry as the thrones began to drag themselves though his skin as they retreated into the floor. The Dark Lord showed his feeling of accomplishment by standing up straight and walking away with a low laugh, leaving the man gasping and bleeding as he sat himself in the head chair.
"Severus my pet, It's quite rude to bleed out on someone else's floor, you should get back to your seat. Now."
Thanks for reading!