Chapter Five
Alaina assumed a neutral expression when she saw Albus and Minerva leading the Potter boy toward her. Severus had already left with the recipe for the bruise salve and headed toward his lab. As soon as the odd group was safely ensconced in the Potions Masters' quarters, Alaina turned her attention to the nervous teenager.
"Harry," she began, "today at lunch, I noticed that you were wearing a very strong Glamour. I used a charmed pendant to see exactly what you were hiding." At her words, the boy became visibly frightened. Alaina patted the boy's hand and continued.
"I think that you were so desperate to hide the truth that you did this wandlessly and wordlessly. What all of us need to know is how and why. We will also be removing the charm so that we can properly heal you."
"Harry, why didn't you let someone know how bad it was, child?" Minerva asked. At this, the boy finally spoke.
"It was never this bad before. Uncle Vernon was mad when Moody, Remus, Tonks and the Weasleys threatened them if they didn't treat me better. I had to write fifty letters the first day back, sending them every three days."
"Harry, school has been back in session over a week now. Why didn't you say something sooner?" Minerva's voice was slightly exasperated.
"I was ashamed, Professor," the boy replied. "Snape, Malfoy and the rest of that lot…I can hear them now. 'Pathetic Potter can't even defend himself against a Muggle. How's he supposed to beat the Dark Lord?' Snape hates me because my Dad was a great big bullying prat." At this point Alaina was a little confused.
"What do you mean, Harry?" She asked quietly. Harry turned to face her and took a deep breath.
"Last year, the Headmaster had Professor Snape give me Occlumency lessons. I was too blinded by my anger and everything to even pay attention, and I failed dismally. Professor Dumbledore was basically ignoring me and we had the toad woman from hell claiming to be a teacher." At that, Albus and Minerva both snickered. Alaina shook her head and motioned for the boy to continue.
"During one of the lessons, Snape had to leave for something, and left his Penseive out. I thought that I would see what everyone was hiding from me. Instead I saw my father and godfather bullying Snape. He caught me and threw me out of his office. I floo-called Remus and Sirius, and they tried to excuse it by saying they were young and stupid. At least I learned why Snape hates me, and I don't blame him. I just wish I didn't look so much like my prat of a dad…even if he did eventually grow up."
"Have you told Professor Snape any of this?" Alaina asked. The teenager shook his head.
"I doubt he'd listen. But can you understand why I didn't want anyone to know. Snape hates me, and I don't want everyone in the school knowing that I got beat up by my muggle relatives. He'd let the news slip right out in the most public way possible. By the way, where are we?" Before anyone could answer, a familiar baritone voice rang out Neither Harry nor had Alaina realized that the subject of their conversation had entered the chamber and had heard the majority of their conversation. Snape was stunned at the boy's revelations, and took a deep breath before he spoke.
"You are presently in my chambers, Mr. Potter." The boy's face turned scarlet as he looked at the Potions Master.
"How…much…what did you hear?" Snape looked directly into the boys green eyes as he set down a tray covered with jars and vials.
"Enough to know that I have done you a disservice Potter. For that, I apologize. Enough reminiscing, I believe that we are here for a reason?" The other three adults nodded. Snape looked at the teenager again. "Potter, despite what you may think, no child deserves what Staff Sergeant Mackenzie described has happened to you. The only people that will know what has happened to you are in these chambers."
"Harry," Albus said quietly, "I am going to remove your Glamour. If we are going to heal you properly, we need to see the extent of your injuries. We also need you to remove your clothing, barring your underwear." At that, Harry's face turned crimson as he obliged. Once the boy was seated again, Albus waved his wand. Minerva's eyes filled with tears as she looked at the boy, and Albus for once looked all of his 150-plus years. The boy was covered in welts and bruises. Worst of all were the words FREAK and KILLER that had been carved into his skin.
Alaina bit her lip before picking up her wand. She quickly did a diagnostic scan, clearly speaking the results.
"Four cracked ribs, concussion, broken wrist, broken ankle, cracked femur, dehydrated and severely malnourished." Snape quickly handed her several potions, which she gave the boy. The two younger professors began rubbing bruise salve into the boy's skin. Finally, the process was complete, but halfway through, the boy had fallen asleep. Minerva looked at Snape, and after receiving a nod, transfigured a cushion into a twin bed in the Potions Master's bedchamber. Albus gently levitated the boy into it and Alaina covered him with a blanket. Albus and Minerva quietly left, while Snape and Alaina walked back into the sitting room. As soon as the door closed, Alaina turned toward Snape.
"I want to know one thing, Professor. Why was that boy so terrified about you finding out about his situation?"
"What Potter said about me had some basis in fact, Mackenzie. His father and godfather made my life here a living hell." Alaina was far from being mollified.
"So you are telling me that you spent five years mistreating a child over something he had no control over. You're pathetic." Furious black eyes locked onto her as the man leaned so close that their noses nearly touched.
"How…dare…you…"he hissed. "You have no idea what you are talking about, woman. James Potter and Sirius Black spent seven years torturing me for the simple fact that I existed. That boy gave me no indication that he was anything other than his father made over. That boy was the perfect little Gryffindor golden boy…just like his father. Do not presume to judge me over something that you are too ignorant to comprehend."
"What I see is an asshole abusing his authority." Alaina gasped when she saw a black wand pointed at her by the enraged man. Before she could utter the first syllable of a shield, she was disarmed and covered with boils. With as much dignity as she could muster, Alaina snatched her wand back and stormed out.
That night, Alaina was surprised to see an owl flying towards her. She carefully removed the parchment and read the two simple words on it—He's awake. It wasn't signed, but she had no doubts as to the sender's identity. Alaina finished the rest of her meal quickly before walking into the staff quarters.
Severus Snape had just walked out of his bedchamber when he heard a tap on his door. Opening it, he was unsurprised to find Mackenzie there. He allowed her entrance, but judging from the expression on her face, she was still upset about losing to him earlier.
Alaina walked past Snape, itching to slap that smirk right off his face. Revenge, however, was a dish best served cold, however, so she bided her time. She schooled her expression before entering the bedchamber, as it would not do for a student to see that expression on her face.
"Good evening, Mr. Potter." Alaina began with a smile. "I hope that you are feeling better." The teenager nodded, before a concerned expression crossed his face.
"Has anyone told Ron and Hermione where I am?" Alaina paused, since she really had no idea. Snape walked in, and looked down at the two.
"The Headmaster informed Mr. Weasley and Miss Granger that you had been summoned to Gringotts concerning Black's estate." Harry nodded, and Snape brought a tray of potions. Silently, he and Alaina repeated the process, and after the boy consumed a light supper, he fell back to sleep.
Alaina smiled softly down at the sleeping child before standing and walking out of Snape's rooms. She was still furious over what had happened earlier, and felt a need to vent her spleen some.
As soon as Alaina reached her chambers, she changed into her workout clothes and strode outside. After an hour of calisthenics and running, she felt marginally better. It was late when she re-entered the castle, and at that point, all she wanted to do was take a hot shower and crawl into bed. She was not happy in the slightest to see Severus Snape standing by the entrance to her rooms, and was even angrier when she realized that her own Glamours were off.
"How did you get those," he asked, indicating her scars. Alaina was not going to answer that in the middle of the hallway, so she opened her door and allowed him entrance. As soon as the door closed, she turned to face him.
"These," Alaina pointed to her face, "came from an explosion a couple of years ago. The ones on my body were the results of my parent's reactions of having a witch for a daughter."
"That's what you meant at lunch when you said you'd been in Potter's shoes?" Alaina nodded and glanced down at her watch.
"Severus, it is nearly eleven o'clock, and although tomorrow is Sunday, I have no intention of sleeping all day. Is there something that you needed?" The man smirked, raising Alaina's ire even more, and she quickly reached for her wand. Before she could wrap her hand around the slender piece of wood, he had grabbed her wrists, holding her captive. "Let go of me, you overgrown bat, before I oomph..." anything else she meant to say was forgotten as he swooped down and caught her mouth in a bruising kiss.
Alaina finally felt her senses returning to her, and cursing herself, pushed away from Severus. She finally caught her breath, and looked up at him.
"I can't believe I am saying this, but…" Severus seemed to read her mind. He kissed her again before turning and exiting her chambers, leaving Alaina to wonder what in the hell just happened. She took a quick shower, before crawling into bed. Alaina was still reeling from Severus's actions, and it was another before she finally fell asleep.
A/N Sevvie finally gets a measure of revenge, and Alaina doesn't get much sleep. I'll update as soon as I can. I will be lengthening the chapters as I go.