Snape's family (Severus x OC)

10 The hospital

Harry was running through the cemetery, not knowing where he was going. He only knew that he had to keep running, always forward. If he looked behind him, he would be trapped.

He arrived at a grave apart from the others. Next to it, a steaming cauldron awaited. Harry tried to move away, knowing he should put as much distance between himself and the cauldron as possible, but the tombstone began to attract him, pulling from him. Harry found himself dragged towards the grave, paralyzed, and terrified. He couldn't move, he couldn't run.

On the ground, in front of the tombstone, a body lay lifeless, abandoned. It was Cedric. His eyes were still open, looking at the starry sky.

"Harry Potter..."

A figure had appeared next to the cauldron. It was pale and covered in a black cloak. Harry felt his body shake with cold and fear, refusing to move.

"Harry Potter, you have come to die."

The figure waved his wand and Harry began to levitate. He was forced to float to the cauldron. He tried to resist with all his might. He wanted to scream, to do something, but absolute immobility held him back.

"Your flesh will give me strength, Harry Potter. Your blood will make me immortal."

Harry looked at the hood, drawn to the cruel look in those red eyes. But that was not Voldemort. It was Sirius.

"You caused my death, Harry. Now you will give me life."

With a fleeting movement, he severed his left hand at the wrist, and it fell into the cauldron.

Harry screamed...

***

And he woke up.

Harry looked around in a daze, not recognizing the bedroom. He had crushed his injured hand in his sleep, and the pain had woken him up.

Studying it carefully, he realized that it was completely numb and had a strange blackish color. Although the pain had subsided, the inflammation had swollen his fingers, and he was unable to move them.

Very carefully, he got up, left the bedroom, and walked through the silent house, trying not to make any noise. After several days in the building, his eyes were beginning to clearly perceive some of the photographs that adorned the walls. The most recent image that had been revealed to him was one of Adrien, as a child, dressed as a police officer on Halloween.

Smiling, Harry walked down the stairs, and then voices from the kitchen caught his attention. He stopped a few steps from the door, listening silently, hidden behind the wall.

Astrid and Snape spoke in low voices, unaware of his presence. Harry hesitated about what he should do. He knew that eavesdropping was wrong, and if Snape discovered him, he would seek vengeance at the next training session. However, the professor was not worthy of his respect, and he was very curious to know what was happening.

He heard Dumbledore's name mentioned, followed by Astrid's laughter, and that made his curiosity stronger. Harry approached the kitchen door, hiding behind the wall, and strained his ears, listening.

"I can't believe I told him that," Astrid said, looking embarrassed. "Why didn't you shut me up?"

"You didn't seem to need my help," Snape's voice was mocking. "It would have been a shame to stop you, after all, you were very inspired."

"Please, next time throw an Imperius at me or make me shut up."

"And miss such a spectacle?" Harry was surprised to hear Snape laugh. He didn't remember ever hearing the professor's laugh.