The Power of Pain

Chapter 30

Three days had passed since Hermione's heroic confrontation with the beast dwelling inside her. Three days for Severus to get a grip on himself. He had let her rest for the better part of two days, only waking her to eat or take her regenerative potions. It had been the reprieve from her presence he had needed. Seeing her broken form had rattled something deep in his core and he found he didn't like the warmth that grew in his stomach when he was around her.

He had banished both Minerva and Potter from the house the first morning stating that their continued presence would only do more harm, as evidenced. Minerva nor Potter put up much of a fight on the issue though they did deeply insist that they aid him in his task in some way.

He sent them away with a laundry list of books that he felt he required. Deciding to let them do the leg work while his mind worked towards a solution. On the third day, Hermione had managed to stay awake for much longer though her words were distressingly slurred. She seemed to have very little memory of how she came to be out of her damaged mind and Severus believed it was for the best. He had slipped a Muggle sleeping aid into lunch that had forced her back into rest.

Presently, Severus sat at his kitchen table, his charge tucked away upstairs in her own bed, he'd cast a charm to alert him when she woke. His magic had come back almost full force since that night. It flowed through him anew and without pain. Even his throat hadn't bothered him once since his return.

A new stack of books appeared abruptly, sliding over the edge of the kitchen table dangerously jarring his cup of coffee. He took hold of it quickly to preserve its contents leaning over to see the house elf's trembling legs.

"From the headmistresses sir." Its tiny voice quaking with fear.

He grunted and set his cup to a safer position. They had been appearing sporadically during the time he'd set the tasks and he had let his temper slip at the small creature once when it had popped in while he was brewing causing him to slightly graze his finger with his knife. He gave it a dismissive wave, his attention turning to the new stack. He heard the creature pop away before he pulled a tome from the middle.

He had focused his attentions on the vault he had seen inside her mind; he was sure that the creature had created it but he needed to know how. He opened the new book his eyes scanning the page slowly taking in anything that was new. His finger ran down the page as he read:

魂壁魔族 (Tamashiheki Mazoku)

Classification: Yurei Kami (Japanese) XXXXXX (Ministry of Magic: Britain)

Build: Humanoid

They are revered to be the darkest of creatures with God-like invulnerability and power. Traveling in packs, one Tamashiheki per group of eight to ten Jinshikin. They are often found on battle fields. Seeking out the souls who have died in pain or torment. Attracted most by vengeful souls. They are hastily attracted to Dark wizards or witches feeding off their broken souls before they have a chance to move between realms.

While the lesser Yurei feast on the broken souls of the dead. Tamashiheki are pulled insatiably towards paragons of good. Using the strength of the witch or wizard's magic against them. They gain their power through control of the mind.

Believed to be the origin of the study of legilimens and occlumancy they use their host's memories to torture and break their soul feeding off the magic that seeps through the cracks before devouring the pieces.