Snape's Saviour

Chapter 2 - Hell and Other Places

Mind still somewhat dulled by injuries, Snape wondered where Jane went when she wasn't with him. He didn't even stop to think where all the food he ate came from; all he knew was that she would feed him when he was hungry if she was there. He ate, and with her caring for him, he slowly improved to the point where his body would obey most of his commands.

He still wasn't strong enough to stand or move about, and his body still hurt, but without the constant reminders of what he was, without having to face the fact that he was a Death Eater and a spy, his condition improved. Jane hadn't mentioned Voldemort again. It was as if there was an unspoken agreement between them.

It amused him to think of her promise. He could imagine Voldemort's reaction to being threatened by a Muggle girl - if he didn't take her, then kill her immediately, he would probably be amused enough at her boldness to keep her as a toy for a while. That would be worse than death. Snape had grown to respect the girl and her calm control. He would hate to see that fate befall her. The sooner he could get away from her and back to Hogwarts, the better. By caring for him she had placed herself in danger she wasn't even aware of. If they Death Eaters found him now they would both be dead.

Jane came in, quietly as was her way. It had been snowing outside again. There were snowflakes in her hair and her face was flushed from the cold. Her small bag bulged slightly at her side. She rubbed and blew into her uncovered hands to warm them. "It's freezing out there."

She moved to him and took a pie from the bag. "I got you something special Severus." She handed the pie to him.

Snape ate it ravenously. He had never imagined he could be so hungry. He thought wistfully of the tables laden with food back at Hogwarts, and how such excessive provision was generally taken for granted by students and staff alike. Now, with barely enough to fill him, he realised how hard life could be. Focussing solely on the pie he was devouring, Snape failed to notice that he ate alone.

Finishing the pie, he waited for something more. He decided that now was the time to find out more about this strange child. If half of the children at Hogwarts had as much sense as this one, teaching would be far less tiresome. "Jane," he watched her carefully, gauging her reaction, "how did you come to be here?"

Jane handed him another pie. "It's a long story."

"It's not like I am going anywhere."

Jane sighed. "I guess not." She sat down, leaning against the wall, under the window - her favourite spot to watch him. As often as not, if she was in when he woke, she would be sitting there watching him. She pulled her knees up and rested her chin on them. "My mother died when I was six. My father got funny. I decided I couldn't take it any more, so I left. I've been here ever since."

Snape didn't have to ask her what "it" was. He had seen the tears in her eyes and had felt her reluctance to be close and have contact, except on the coldest nights, or when he was at his weakest. Yes, he knew what "it" was. He shuddered at the thought that someone could do that to a child, this child, the man's own daughter! Now Snape knew where she had learned such amazing control. It was the control she had needed to stop herself from screaming in the middle of the night. It was the control she had needed to plan and effect her escape. "How long have you been here?"

He watched as Jane shrugged, suddenly lost in thought. "I guess seven or eight years."

"How old are you?"

Jane shook her head. "I don't really know. This is my seventh winter here I think."

"You don't know your age?"

"It's not like we celebrate birthdays here."

Snape realised she had a point. "Well, if you were six when you came here and you've been here for seven winters. That would make you about thirteen or fourteen right?"

Jane shrugged again. "If you say so."

He looked at her. "Can't you count?"

"Of course. My mother taught me."

Snape realised Jane seemed proud of that. "Can you add up?" Gods, now he sounded like a teacher. Jane looked at him, not answering. "Can you read?"

This time he had pushed too far. Agitated and embarrassed, Jane jumped up. "NO! All right, is that what you want to hear? No. I've never been to school. I can't do sums, I can't read and I can't write. Happy? I can count to one hundred, my mother taught me." She paused briefly and he watched as something dark flashed in her eyes, "and I can make you happy if you like. That's what my father taught me. But apart from that I am a nobody, and that's who cares about me too, nobody." She moved closer to him. "Happy now? Ready for sex then? You look like you need a good time. I promise not to kill you like I did Adam's brother. It's my treat this time. HE didn't even ask permission, let alone wait until it was offered. Come on, how do you want me?"

Snape was disgusted by her suggestion and shocked by her outburst. There was a fearful, crazed look in her eyes that he had never seen before. Without thinking he reached out and slapped her face.

As quickly as the storm had erupted, it was gone, and the girl burst into tears. He grabbed her and pulled her towards him, feeling the tenseness in her body. She tried to pull away, but he held her tighter, waiting while the tears subsided, stroking her hair.

"Tell me what happened to Adams brother."

"I killed him." She answered through the last of the tears.

"Is that why the boys ran when you found them beating me?"

She nodded.

"Can you tell me what happened?"

She pulled away and wiped her face on her sleeve. "I found this place. When they came here we all lived together. One night while some of the boys were out looking for food, I was here asleep. Mark was here too. He decided he wanted to have some fun. I used to sleep with a knife for protection, so when he grabbed me and climbed on top, I did the first thing that I could think of to stop him. It worked." She didn't elaborate on what she did, she didn't need to.

Snape nodded, understanding. Having escaped her father only to be faced with the same situation must have been a dreadful shock. He understood her reaction.

"No one will ever do that against my will again Severus." She added quietly.

Snape knew she meant it.

*****

Snape's days became routine, and even if this wasn't the world he truly belonged in, it no longer seemed so foreign. Still damaged, his body restricted his ability to get around but he knew he was vastly improved over what he had been. Jane cared for him, providing what she could in the way of warmth, comfort, food and companionship. For perhaps the first time in his life, Snape felt cared for and valued, and he enjoyed the change.

It shocked him that it took a Muggle child that had experienced very little of either to provide him with such a novel experience. He knew he would miss her when he returned to Hogwarts with the same certainty that he knew he would return to his real life eventually. Even if he had to walk to Kings Cross Station and catch the Hogwarts Express, he knew he would get back home, leaving Jane behind to get on with her life, such that it was.

As January progressed, Snape became concerned for the girl. She was pale and had lost some of her spark. He was eating his way through a loaf of bread she had provided when he realised what it might be, but he didn't want to corner her by approaching the subject directly. She wasn't one of his idiot students, she was a child, as damaged as he was, if not more, and he didn't want to cause her more pain than was necessary.

Jane passed him more food, aware that what she could provide was no longer enough to satisfy his needs and appetite. She sighed, wearily and he looked at her as he swallowed the last mouthful. "Is there any more?"

"No," Jane looked away, embarrassed she couldn't provide enough food. "I'm sorry, are you still hungry?"

"Yes." That was when he realised his mistake. He might still have been hungry, but he hadn't seen her eat anything. "And I haven't seen you eat at all."

"Oh, I'm not hungry," Jane answered a little too quickly.

Snape realised she was lying to him, he recognised himself in the child regularly now.

"You've been giving me all the food." It was a statement of fact, rather than a question.

He watched as the girl shook her head. "No, I just save the best for you, that's all. You need it to get well." Snape suspected she was lying to him again.

"I want to see you eat something."

"I will do as I please." The small girl asserted.

"Even starve yourself to feed me?"

The girl swung around to face him, eyes blazing angrily. "Even starve myself to feed you!" She answered angrily. She stormed off, slamming the door behind her.

Snape winced he hated making her angry it was no way to repay her kindness.

***

"I'm sorry." Jane looked at Snape from across the room. "You've done nothing but help me as best you can and all I seem to do is upset you." Snape rarely saw the need to apologise and he wondered if it showed.

Jane looked at him saying nothing. After a couple of minutes she nodded. "That's ok. It's not like you belong here, it's not like you should understand. Besides, you are right of course."

"No one belongs here."

"Some of us have no choice."

She was back on the defensive, he had done it again! "What if you had a choice?"

Jane laughed, but it was a joyless sound. "What, go back home you mean? I don't think so."

"No, I meant come with me." Gods, what had compelled him to say that? He had no idea. It was impossible. Mind racing, he tried desperately to find a way to take back the words, but he needn't have worried.

If Jane had noticed his discomfort at the suggestion or not, he couldn't be sure, but the girl shook her head. "I doubt that would be a good idea."

Slightly taken aback, Snape was shocked that she hadn't jumped at the opportunity to escape her pitiful existence. "Why do you say that?"

Jane sat down, watching him. "Look at you. Look at your clothes. I know nothing about you but I do know that whatever you do, wherever you live, there probably isn't room for a brat like me."

"I don't think you are a brat."

"You hardly know me."

"I know you well enough to know you aren't a brat. I teach worse brats than you and they have fewer excuses."

"You teach?!" Jane asked, somewhat incredulously.

"Yes, why are you so surprised?"

Jane shrugged. "I guess I never really thought about it. You just don't look like a teacher. Not that I'd really know." She paused, considering, "What do you teach?"

"Potions," Snape answered without thinking. He felt a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. Oh Gods, he thought, what was he doing? If he couldn't think straight, he should take the advice he often gave his students and keep his mouth shut.

"Potions, what sort of subject is that?"

Snape sighed. What did he have to loose? He would never see her again once he was well anyway and no one would believe her if she tried to tell. Besides, he could easily wipe her memories if he got his wand back and he would need her help to get that back anyway. "It is a subject about how to brew different combinations of ingredients, kind of like chemistry. All witches and wizards learn it at school."

He watched as Jane looked at him. She blinked a couple of times, thinking, then burst into laughter. "You know, that's the funniest thing I have heard in ages." She managed through the laughter. "Witches and Wizards indeed!"

Snape was slightly offended by her reaction, but overcame his natural desire to snap at the girl. "So you don't believe in magic?" he asked as calmly as he could.

Jane looked at him seriously now. "What do you think? I live on the streets and steal food to survive. I've been abused and raped. I'll probably end up freezing to death or being attacked and murdered, and you ask me if I believe in magic. Are you kidding? Magic belongs in fairy tales and believe me, last time I checked I wasn't living a fairy tale, I didn't have a fairy godmother and my name wasn't Cinderella." She smiled as she remembered her mother telling her stories as a child, it was the only truly happy memory she had.

Snape found himself almost enjoying Jane's reaction. It wasn't what he expected. "What if I told you I was a wizard?"

"Severus, I think you have been damaged by some of the blows you received." She moved to him suddenly, looking worried. "You don't feel sick again do you?"

"No, I feel alright." Reaching out quickly, he grabbed her hand. Startled, Jane tried to pull away but Snape didn't relax his grip. He watched as terror briefly flashed across her face, hating the fact that he was upsetting her. "I don't want to hurt you, I want you to believe," he hissed. "I need you to try and find something for me. I think those boys may have it."

Aware that she was no longer trying to pull away, Snape released the Jane's hand. She stayed fixed to the spot, frozen by fear at his sudden, unprovoked attack. "I want you to find my wand."

Cautious now, Jane looked at him, trying to figure out if he was serious. There was no hint of amusement on his face, not even in his eyes. She decided to humour him. "What wand?"

"My wand. It's about thirteen inches long." Snape held his hands apart indicating its approximate length, "and it is made of dark wood, with a silver handle."

"Why do you think Adam has it?"

"Because I remember having it when I arrived," Snape lied. He didn't remember, but he needed to know if the boys had it before he returned if possible. It would be dangerous to leave it behind and he needed it to wipe Jane's memory of him.

Jane watched Snape carefully. He was acting strangely. She decided to indulge him, he needed to rest and recover, not stress out. He was healing slowly but he wouldn't if he continued to be so agitated. Weakness was vulnerability here and he was weak. That made her weak. "Yes, all right, I will look for it." She pushed him back down and replaced the blanket. "Now, please rest."

"My wand...."

"Yes Severus, yes. I will look for it in the morning. Please, just lie down and get some rest."

Snape closed his eyes, relieved.

***

Jane crept past wooden boxes that were used as furniture by Adam and the other boys. She was glad they were out - it would be far better to have a look around for Severus' wand without having to explain what she was doing. Adam would think she had gone soft in the head to believe a story about magic wands and wizards. She wondered if she had gone insane herself. Besides, if Adam did have it she knew where it would be. It would be where he hid everything, in the secret hole under the only chair they had. It wasn't much of a secret.

She reached the chair and pushed it aside. Kneeling down she looked into the hole. Something glinted as a ray of sunlight made its way through the window. It was true then. Reaching in, Jane pulled out the silver handled piece of wood. It looked like a wand, or at least what she expected a wand to look like. Jane was stunned, and it took a lot to stun her. He hadn't been lying.

Standing up, she put the wand in her pocket and returned the chair. She still didn't believe in magic.

***

"Hey Severus," Severus stiffened at the feeling of the boy's breath on the back of his neck and the suggestiveness in his voice. He opened his eyes and looked around. It wasn't Voldemort and that, at least, was a relief. He felt rough hands pull him over onto his back. Now he could see the sneering young boy's face. Adam. "Where is your guard dog Severus? Where is she? Don't tell me she has left you all alone?" The brown haired boy sneered again. "Shame about that really. Quite a mistake. Not her first mind you. I've been waiting for an opportunity to pay her back for what she did to me." He reached over and pulled the Wizard's robe up. "You know it won't hurt for long." The boy ripped Snape's pants down and turned him over, onto his stomach, face against the floor.

"Oh Gods, no!" Snape cringed at the boy's touch. He was better, far stronger than he had been, but he knew he didn't have the strength to fight against this.

The boy laughed. "Come on you goth faggot, we both know you want this." The boy, pulled down his own pants and fell on top of Snape's huddled body, breathing heavily on the back of his neck. "Tell me you want it faggot. Beg me."

Snape closed his eyes, waiting for the inevitable as the boy inched closer.

"ADAM!" Jane's voice, shrill with anger broke into Snape's thoughts. "Get off him you dirty creep. You're no better than your brother."

Snape felt the body on top of his stiffen. "I will get off in a minute.... Just let me finish what I'm doing."

"NOW! Don't make me come over there and drag you off." Jane threatened, voice icy.

"You and who's army?" The boy hissed, breath coming hard, trying to finish what he hadn't quite started.

"I didn't need an army last time did I," Jane's voice changed from anger to seduction now.

Snape wanted to be sick, she was seducing the boy to protect him, that was too much.

"And I won't need one this time will I? Come on Adam, why have him when you can have me instead?" Jane purred.

"I could have both." The boy was still crushing Snape against the floor, but he now seemed a little hesitant and undecided.

"Not in this lifetime."

Jane watched, relieved but filled with trepidation, as Adam rolled off Snape. He stood, holding his trousers up and moved towards her, leering. She shuddered, desperately fighting the desire to retch.

"Sorry faggot, I guess you miss out," he hissed over his shoulder as he grabbed Jane roughly and slammed her against the wall. Snape heard a crunch as her head hit the bricks.

Holding her tightly, with his hand over her mouth, Adam pulled Jane's pants down. Not hesitating now, he thrust himself into her violently, pulling on her hair.

From the floor Snape could see tears in her eyes, but she didn't utter a sound. He struggled in vain to rise, he had to help her, but his body boycotted his efforts and wouldn't respond.

The boy finished and moved away, walking through the door doing up his pants. "A pleasure doing you Jane. Same time tomorrow then?" He hissed over his shoulder as he left.

The girl shuddered at the words and stood deadly still, recovering and waiting for the terror to pass before she turned then and moved to Snape, legs still unsteady. Bending down she pulled his pants back up and covered him again against the cold.

Straightening, she reached inside her coat and pulled something out. Without a word she dropped his wand on the ground beside him and bolted away, falling to her knees in the corner and vomiting violently for what seemed like an eternity to Snape.

He wanted to help this child who had risked so much to care for him, this poor girl that had allowed herself to be violated so appallingly, rather than see him suffer the same fate. Now that he had his wand he could. In the instant of her violation his plans had changed. He watched Jane quivering with shock. "Jane, come over here," he whispered quietly.

She shook her head.

"Please." Looking up with tear filled eyes, she looked at Snape uncertain. "I won't hurt you. You know that. Come over here."

Slowly she crawled to him and stopped just within arms reach. Her words were so quiet he almost missed them. "Now do you understand why I don't believe in magic?"

Taking the little girl's hand and holding his wand, Severus spoke quietly and they Apparated from the dingy warehouse.