Rated M

New Beginning: The Same Refrain

Chapter 16

Severus had a hard time differentiating between dream and reality as Albus leaned over his bed and shook him by the shoulder. He could feel the shudder of the metal wheels and rails slammed into the wooden slats of the coaster and see Riddles face as Albus stood by his bed looking at him with concern. His hand slid under his pillow and grasped the cold ebony wand as a manacle slapped around his wrist.

"Professor," Albus called louder, and shook again, his hand holding Severus' in an iron grip. "Professor you are needed in the infirmary."

The cloud in Severus's mind lifted as Albus held Severus's arm still, not letting go until his Potion Professor's eyes cleared.

"Headmaster?" Severus choked sitting up and rubbing his eyes with the heels of his hands. "You should never wake me like that."

"Obviously." The Headmaster stroked his beard looking at the wand already fisted in Severus's hand. "I have no choice in the matter. Your Muggle is coming in to the infirmary. Moody just sent his Patronus; they will be here any moment."

"What happened?" Severus was already standing up and reaching for his trousers. "How is she?"

"All I know is that there was an attack," Albus said flatly.

Severus pulled his trousers up and started to push his arms into his shirt, at the same time balancing to slide his feet into boots. There was the slightest hesitation, the merest drop of emotion that slipped onto his schooled expression, before he pushed it back. He tucked his shirttails down bringing up his zipper as he headed for the floo.

"The necklace worked then?" Severus asked to fill the empty space.

"It would appear so, it enabled Moody to apparate to her," Albus said joining him in the floo "We just do not know yet if it was in time."

Severus grabbed a handful of powder and threw it down, cursing under his breath thinking even this was too slow.

"Poppy." The Headmaster walked toward the Medi-Witch once they arrived. "As soon as Moody arrives I must reset the wards. I have opened up the anti-Apparation barrier until they are safely in."

"Do we know anything yet?" Poppy asked.

"I am afraid all we can do is wait," Albus put his hand on her shoulder. "I would imagine you will need to gather the usual potions, do remember she is a Muggle."

"Oh my," Poppy looked around quickly, "We need to keep her from the windows. I would be a little discerning if she were to see nothing but ruins and think we were floating in air."

"I forgot about that in the excitement," Albus chuckled. "Excuse me, I need to add one more thing to the wards, we do not want Muggles going hysterical on us."

"Fool," Severus snipped as Albus walked away.

Severus walked to the window Poppy had pointed at and stood standing looking out onto the grounds. His heart was beating so loudly in his own ears he was sure that others could hear it. He watched as Albus strode across the grounds and turned back to the castle, raising his arms and casting the spell that would allow Hannah to see her surroundings. A sizzling crack of thunder sounded behind him.

He spun around to see the scared Auror carrying Hannah in his arms. Without stopping to find his footing, Moody walked to the bed nearest Poppy and deposited his load.

"One more on the way," he said turning as a second Auror entered with a crack, a male figure draped over his shoulder.

"Where do you want this one?" a thick set Auror said.

Poppy waved to the bed next to Hannah as she quickly bent over the girl and assessed the damage. She switched wands and cast a spell to stop the internal bleeding she found in Hannah's kidneys and shaking her head looked up to Severus.

"She is bad Severus," she said softly. "Get these potions down her while I check her companion."

Severus stalked over and took up the vials offered to him, Pain and Blood-Replenishing Potion, and one more he raised his eyebrow considering.

"Poppy?" he asked holding up the faint blue liquid.

"I don't know if she needs it or not Severus," Poppy said looking at his face. "I always administer a contraception potion if I can not do a full exam at once. Even a few minutes may make a difference."

Severus looked at the state of her clothing and proceeded to administer all three potions.

"We got to her in time," Moody said quietly at his elbow. "They were just starting to rip her clothes off when we got there. Put it down lad, she don't need it this time."

Severus looked at the vial in his hand and then put it down on the nightstand, nodding his appreciation to Moody as his heart started to beat again.

Severus looked at Hannah. There were only small amounts of blood splattered on her top and hands. Her face was bloodied, but he could see no large wounds. The beating had been Muggle style. He cringed and reached for her hands, turning them over and inspecting them and her lower arms for damage.

"Defensive wounds," Poppy said pulling out her wand. "Her hands are broken in several places, but the wrists are good."

Severus looked over to the second bed and saw the same man Hannah had walked out of the pub with the last time he had seen her. Standing up he nodded to Poppy and stepped away from the bed.

"Since I am no longer needed here I shall return to my chambers," he said stiffly. "If you have need of me you may floo."

"Severus!" Poppy looked at him shocked. "You will do not such thing."

She put her hands on her ample hips and stamped her foot as Severus turned and walked away. He pushed open the infirmary door and quickened his step as he fled for the Dungeons. He could not stand there knowing 'he' was in the next bed. His breaths were shallow, and by the time he reached the Dungeons a cold perspiration had beaded across his forehead and the back of his neck.

He did not stop until he had a bottle in his hand and had poured a good amount of whiskey down his throat. He put the bottle down and placing his palms on the table leaned forward and took deep breaths to still his nerves.

"I used to have the same problem." Moody's voice came from the doorway. He walked across the room and picked up the whiskey bottle, looked at the label and threw it into the fireplace.

"How dare you?" Severus pulled his wand and pointed it at Moody.

"Oh, I am not talking about the whiskey my lad." Moody frowned. "I am talking about the witch."

"She is not a witch," Severus said looking for another bottle.

"Just bewitching hey?" Moody laughed with a leer. "Tell me Snape, what does Albus have on you to make you work for him?"

"I am sure you will be told in good time," Severus spat at him, finding the other bottle and uncapping it.

"He told me that you had a friend that needed protecting," Moody looked at him oddly. "Now you hide down here?"

"I am not hiding," he sneered tipping up the bottle.

"There were four," Moody said coldly. "Her brother was already down when we got there. They had her on the ground and Malfoy was between her legs ripping off her knickers. The other three still wore their masks."

Severus's head had come up when Moody had said 'brother', his jaw clenched when he heard 'Malfoy'. He watched the older man carefully for any sign of enjoying the fact that he had watched a mere Muggle treated this way. It was not just the pure bloods that thought Muggles were for sport.

"One kicked her in the ribs. The other two were wiping her blood off their hands and laughing," Moody scowled at the memory. "She was still awake when we apparated in. They left as soon as we got there, not even time for a duel."

Severus sucked air into his lungs and dropped his wand but continued to stare at the Auror in front of him.

"When I bent down to pick her up she said you name," Moody shrugged. "I thought you would want to know."

"You are sure it was Lucius?" Severus said coldly.

"Yep, been after that one since the last night of the war." Moody said heading back to the door. "Don't lose yourself in that bottle Professor."

Severus stood looking at the door Moody had passed through.

Typical arrogant git, he thought, seeing the door left wide open. Then he heard the Auror's voice.

"So are you coming?" Moody's voice echoed in the halls.

"Shite!" Severus hurried after him, his long strides catching up quickly.

They walked together to the infirmary where Hannah and her brother lay. Severus wanted to hurry, but remained at Moody's side, matching his step and again hearing Moody's voice as the words 'brother' and 'Malfoy' had slipped out. He knew Moody only had his suspicions and knew nothing of his past. Moody still did not trust him, and only had gone to her because Albus had ordered it.

"Moody," he said looking straight ahead. "I will not forget what you have done."

"Dumbledore said that she was important," Moody looked at Severus strangely. "He did not say to whom or she may be there still. I assumed she was helping the Order."

"I am sure he will satisfy your curiosity," Snape sneered. "Before he does, just know I am at your service."

They had reached the infirmary and Severus walked to Hannah's bed as Moody walked over to Albus and stood talking quietly to him. Scowling at Severus the two wizards left to continue their talk in the Headmaster's office.

Severus pulled the chair in Hannah's curtained area closer to the bed and sat down, taking her hand and bringing it to his lips. He saw the bruising and ran the pad of this thumb over her lips remembering the first time he had kissed her, and the time he had healed from her boyfriend's fist. He laid down her hand and stood to find Poppy when her bother called to him.

"You." Jack was struggling to get up. "Who the fuck are you?"

"I think you are well aware of who I am," he sneered at the man's rudeness.

"Yeah, Snape," he spat out the name. "From Spinners End. When she told me she was dating you I told her to back off, not to trust you. You were always weird, even as a kid."

"How very brotherly of you." Snape crossed his arms and looked down at him.

"She thought it was you." Jack started to cough, and finally caught his breath enough to finish. "She sees this man walking toward her wearing a mask and thinks it's you."

Poppy came over as he again started to cough and spit up phlegm and blood. She held a basin under his head and gave Severus a look that would have made a lesser man run. Severus watched dispassionately and waited until Jack settled once more against his pillow.

"Finish," he demanded looking down at Jack with obvious contempt.

"The tall man, the one in the front, he grabbed her and slapped her." Jack's eyes clouded a little. "The others came at me before I could get to her. I heard her screaming, and then woke up here."

"She said you were in prison," Severus stated. "Was that a lie?"

"Two years I sat there until I got a new trial." He looked at Severus directly in challenge. "It was self defence. They let me out after they found the witness."

Severus took two steps toward him and rested his wand against Jack's forehead. He was in his mind at once, shifting past memories that he did not want. He found the attack on Hannah. He saw Hannah run toward the Death Eater, and saw Malfoy strike her, and laugh as he took off his mask. The memory ended. Jack had been telling the truth.

He moved on ruthlessly tearing his way through images that flew in front of him, he pushed them away and searched until he was standing in a pub, seeing it though the eyes of Jack. He had been drinking, but was not drunk. Severus knew the night had just begun feeling the burn on his throat. Later the whiskey would not burn as hot. He watched, heard a deep voice call to Jack, and the argument that ensued over a bet made and a debt not paid.

The larger man walked toward the door as Jack stepped up, and thrust a knife into his side. He felt the blood over his hands and recognized the smell. He pushed the moving image aside until he found what he was looking for. The pulling out of Jack's mind he stood up and looked down coldly.

"If you lie to me again I will kill you," Severus said softly to make sure only Jack could hear him. "I see your witness only set you back the cost of a whore."

"What did you do?" Jack was holding the back of his neck gasping in pain.

"You will remember none of this, but this one promise," Severus said coldly. He raised his wand again and cast the 'Obliviate', modifying his memory to hold the threat, and then he called to Poppy.

"This one needs to be returned at once," he turned to her. "His memory has already been erased."