Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)

Chapter 3

Some of you might recognize the new DADA teacher as Miss Jean Brodie from The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie by Muriel Spark (published 1961). Part of her speech comes directly from the novel.

*****

Tap, tap, tap... Tap, tap, tap...

Severus's eyes fly open.

"Are you awake?" A muffled voice says from the other side of the door.

This is starting to get ridiculous.

The first few times this happened, Severus was convinced Potter wanted to not only drive him to the madhouse but also off a cliff. The incessant pounding, the drunken insults– why couldn't he just leave him alone? Taunting him with the fact that he was paying for this private room. Ha, Potter could spend his money as he pleases. If he wants to spend it on Severus, then fine. Severus will gladly milk him for all he's worth. If that dunderhead decides to go through with his threat and stops footing his bill, then that's fine too. Severus will gladly go straight to Bedlam than allow himself to be beholden to the likes of James Potter. Despite the bars on the windows, for the first time in his life Severus felt free. Nothing could penetrate these soothing, white-washed walls and clean tiles. He let his mind float like a feather, not giving any attention to the clawing fear that threatened to overtake him whenever he thought about the world outside. This was his world now, and Severus intended to keep it that way.

"Lily's finally started talking to me like I'm an actual human being. It's so weird. I mean I'm happy about it, of course, but she called me an imbecile the other day and I swear she sounded just like you, it was so weird. It's like you two share a hive mind sometimes. I didn't get why you two were friends at first. You seemed like such complete opposites."

If only Potter didn't insist on dragging the outside world in here with him.

Severus groans and flops onto his stomach, burying his head underneath his pillow to drown out Potter's drunken ramblings. He wishes the doctors had allowed him to keep his wand, at least then he would be able to cast a Silencing Charm. Severus doesn't understand why Potter keeps doing this. He has plenty of friends he could go to and whine about his problems. Why did he insist on treating Severus like he was his own personal diary? It's not like Severus ever responded. Don't feed strays, they'll just follow you home, Severus thinks with a snort.

Maybe the doctors should have Potter committed too. Wouldn't that be a laugh. We could be cellmates.

Whatever. The chair jammed underneath the knob is enough to keep the idiot out, not that he's tried after the first time. Typical. Most Purebloods lacked any sort of common sense or critical thinking skills. Oh, Alohomora didn't work? Must be a magically-reinforced door that is impervious to spells. It couldn't possibly be simple physics. Most of the Slytherins were like that too. House of Cunning his ass, they were all drooling morons.

He should tell one of the doctors. St Mungo's wasn't like Hogwarts. There would be no weaseling out of the consequences if Potter gets caught. Severus lifts the pillow just high enough to eye his steadily growing collection of books and records. Maybe he'll snitch later. The perks were pretty nice, and anyway the dining hall was serving pork chops and jacket potatoes for dinner tomorrow, with ice cream. He didn't want to miss that. The patients downstairs in the Janus Thickey Ward would invariably have some sort of soup instead. Ugh, that first week, before Potter started funding his stay, Severus had been forced to eat carrot soup three days in a row. Terrible. He'll take the ice cream, please.

Potter has fallen suspiciously quiet. Did he fall asleep? Severus slips from the bed and pads his way over. He presses his ear against the door. He can head a faint whistling, coupled with soft breathing.