Before Harry Met Sevy

Chapter Seven: Escape?

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"Why didn't you do this earlier?" Severus inquired. It was the evening before they were to leave for Hogwarts, and Lily's room looked as though a tornado had come through. "I've been packed for a week."

"I did pack last week," Lily argued. "I just wanted to make sure I haven't forgotten anything."

"It looks like you're trying to stuff your entire room into that trunk," Severus observed with a laugh. "I doubt you'll be missing anything."

"I always forget something," she said morosely. "Whenever we go on holiday, I'm always the one to leave something behind. I'll most likely get to Hogwarts and then remember what it is I've left."

"Oh, well," he said with a sly grin. "Rose and Albert can always owl it back to you."

"That isn't funny," she said, tossing a pillow at his head. "They do try, you know." Ever since Dumbledore's visit, the Evanses had been trying to learn what they could about the wizarding world. Unfortunately, they had yet to get the hang of the owl post. Lily had taken out a subscription to The Daily Prophet in order to keep up with things, and her parents were constantly forgetting that they needed to give the delivery owl a few sickles. As a result, they were consistently covered with welts from the disgruntled carriers. They were also having a bit of trouble with the wizard money, though Severus had explained it to them on more than one occasion.

"It'll just take some getting used to," Rose had said with a sigh after trying to determine how much pocket money Lily would take with her to school. She'd finally simply given her the remaining money they'd exchanged at Gringotts, which amounted to two galleons, seven sickles, and three knuts.

"At least you'll have spending money," Severus had pointed out when Lily had told him. She'd only shaken her head and buried herself deeper into her Charms book. Now, as she tossed her bag of coins on top of her robes, she took another look around her room.

"I think that's everything," she said with satisfaction. Closing the lid, she jumped on top of it, and instructed Severus to fasten the straps.

"It'll be very interesting to see you getting your robes out on the train," he smirked. "Everything will probably spring out all over the compartment."

"You'll just have to use a spell to get it all back in, then," she said, undaunted. "We'll be on the train, you can use spells then, can't you?"

"I think so," he affirmed, taking a seat again on the floor.

"Good," she said firmly. "Then you can show me how that shield charm works that you go on about all the time."

"I haven't actually gotten that one down yet," he admitted. "I've been sticking pretty much with the Numbing Potion."

"Well, we can practice so that you will be able to use it," she said resolutely. "I've been dying to try a spell. Once we're on that train, you're going to show me how to do them properly."

"Lily, I've never cast a spell successfully, remember?"

"All the more reason to get started," she said with a grin. "Just think, Severus, this time tomorrow evening, we'll be miles away." Severus did not return her smile. His thoughts had turned to his brother, and how Steven would be left defenseless without him. For the past week, his excitement of leaving had been marred by the thought that his young brother would have no one to protect him for nearly ten months. Lily was chattering away, but he wasn't listening. He had to go home, to think of a way to shield his brother while he was at Hogwarts.

"Uncle Sebastian's taking us to the station," he said quietly, interrupting whatever it was that Lily had been saying. "We'll be around about ten - thirty." He stood and exited the room, leaving his friend in a state of confusion. As he made his way over to his house, he tried again to think of something that would help Steven while he was gone. He was so lost in thought that he nearly stumbled over his brother as he began to climb the stairs. Steven was crouched at the bottom, his knees pulled tightly to his chest. Severus wondered what he was doing, then heard shouts drifting from the floor above. "What's going on?" he asked immediately.

"They've been at it for ages," Steven said fearfully, glancing upwards to his parents' bedroom door. "Mum was angry because she'd kept dinner for him, and when he came home he threw it at the wall. She slapped him, Severus, and then she started yelling. He just stood there while she did it, with a strange look in his eyes."

"What did she say?" he asked as he pulled his brother into his bedroom, lest they be heard during a lull in the fighting.

"She said -" his little face puckered with concentration as he tried to recall her words,"she said that she was sick and tired of him coming home late every night, and told him that he should just go and live with one of those -" here he paused, and looked around before putting his hand up to his mouth and whispering, "tramps - that he spent all his time with." Severus felt his blood turn to ice. He remembered the last time their mother had stood up to their father - she'd been bedridden for nearly two weeks, with Silias telling anybody who inquired only that she was 'ill'.

"How long ago was that?" he asked hurriedly.

"What time is it now?"

"Nearly ten o'clock."

"Ten o'clock? Let's see, then, that was after dinner - dinner was at six - we waited until six-thirty for him - I'd say he came home about seven-thirty," Steven mumbled under his breath.

"Seven-thirty?" Severus nearly shouted. "He's had her in there since seven-thirty?" He threw open his door and strode purposefully down the hall, Steven clinging to him the whole way.

"Severus, it won't make a difference! He'll only hurt you too! Severus, please don't!" Severus shook his brother off angrily as he twisted the knob on the door, and swore loudly when it wouldn't budge. Steven's eyes were as round as saucers as he looked at his older brother. "You're not supposed to say that," he reprimanded.

"I don't give a damn what you think I'm allowed to do!" he roared. As he loomed over the frightened child, he realized that he'd reacted just as his father would have, and the thought sickened him. From behind the door they could still hear Rebekah, sobbing.

"You've had your fun, Silias," they heard her wail. Her sobs were interrupted by the sound of a slap, and as the boys saw the flash of red light under the door, they knew their mother was being punished. Severus continued pounding on the door, shouting obscenities.

"Leave her alone!" he shouted. "Just let her be!" It took them a moment to realize that an eerie silence had settled over the house, and as Severus looked questioningly at his brother, the door was flung open. Silias was silhouetted in the doorway, bleeding from several scratches on his face and the backs of his hands, and was wearing only his trousers. Without hesitation, Severus began pummeling him with his fists, shouting every curse word he'd ever heard and wishing he had thought to grab his new wand. Silias grabbed his son by the wrist, and as he drug him down the hall, the boy caught a glimpse of the scene his father had left. He had the sudden urge to vomit as he saw his mother laying on the bed, her dress shredded to bits, her face already bruised and bloodied. Her eyes were closed, and Severus had the sickening feeling that she was dead. As he was tossed down the stairs, he heard a horrible thud as his head connected with the floor.The last thing he saw before blacking out was his father's torrid face, a hideous smile contorting his features as he leaned over his son.

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When he woke, he was in the basement, lying uncomfortably on the dirt floor. His head was pounding furiously, and he raised a shaky hand to it, not at all surprised to find his fingers covered in blood when he pulled them away. For a moment, he could not recall what he'd done to bring him here, but as he pulled himself into a sitting position, the memories of the night before came rushing back. With his memory came the realization that he was due to leave for Hogwarts, and he looked up at the window with trepidation. The unmistakable light of the morning sun illuminated the glass, causing the boy to hang his head in defeat. He was going to miss the train, if he hadn't already.

Lily never came to look for me, he thought morosely. She's probably too busy thinking about all the fun she'll have at Hogwarts. Even as he thought the words, he felt ashamed. Maybe it was still early enough that they hadn't missed him at the Evanses yet.

The sound of the door opening brought Severus' attention back to his immediate predicament, and he glanced up sharply. Steven's tear-stained face was studying him, a gaze akin to hero-worship upon it.

"Steven," Severus croaked, his throat excruciatingly dry, "go and get into my trunk. There are phials inside, clearly marked. Bring them down, please." Steven made no effort to leave, and Severus felt himself growing impatient. "For Merlin's sake, Steven! Move!"

"I - I can't," the boy stammered. "It's locked, and I can't get in." He looked at his brother apologetically.

"Perfect," Severus muttered, resting his throbbing head against the coolness of the stone wall, "he knew that's where I'd go first. He isn't here, is he?"

"No, he Disapparated right before I came down." Severus felt himself relax slightly, until he thought about the train.

"What time is it?" he asked quickly.

"It was half past when I came down."

"Half past what?" Severus snapped, unable to mask his annoyance.

"Nine o'clock," his brother replied. Severus breathed a sigh of relief.

"We've got an hour before we've got to leave," he said with satisfaction. In an effort to try and block out some of the pain, he closed his eyes, and wished he hadn't. Images of his mother sprang to his mind, and his eyes snapped open and rested on the face of his younger brother. "Is she -" he was unable to finish the sentence. As much as he hated that his mother sat idly by during their abuse, he hated the thought of her dying at their father's hand even more. Steven shook his head.

"But she would have been if you hadn't stopped him," he said with awe. Severus' thoughts from the night before came into his mind, and he grasped his brother's arm frantically.

"Steven, you've got to understand how - different - it will be after I'm gone. With Mum - while she's - ill, you'll be his only target. Try to stay out of his way as much as possible. Don't do anything you think he'd dislike. Do you understand?" Steven nodded his head, his eyes widening slightly with fear. Severus struggled to stand, wincing as a shooting pain spread down his side. He made his way slowly over to the stairs and motioned to the books beneath them. "I know you've seen these before," he began. "I want you to read them. All of them. Most of them are about the Dark Arts, but don't be afraid," he added quickly as he saw the uncertainty in Steven's eyes. "It's good preparation for when - when he wants to punish you. If you know what spell he used, it makes it easier to find the counter-spell."

"Uncle Sebastian told me to never, ever, study the Dark Arts," he said softly.

"He essentially told me the same thing," Severus spat bitterly. "See where it's gotten me? Nowhere. Learn to defend yourself, Steven, and use it."

"But Uncle Sebastian -"

"Fine," Severus said angrily. He saw that Steven was teetering on indecision, and his voice grew colder. "Of course, if you'd rather let his spells run their course, be my guest. I'm only trying to spare you some pain. Once you've lain on the floor for a week, your body riddled with pain from the Abicio curse, I'm sure you'll change your mind." Steven's lower lip quivered, though he tried vainly to suppress the tears that immediately sprang to his eyes. Severus sighed. "Look, I didn't mean to - oh, hell. Just read the books, okay?" His tone had become less stern, and his brother looked up at him, sniffling loudly. "Uncle Sebastian gave me his mother's old wand," Severus said quietly. "It's underneath the floorboards in my room. It's yours now. And if you're still not sure about learning these, I'll leave some phials of Numbing Potion for you. There's a book down here that tells you how to brew it. I'm sure Uncle Sebastian will get you the ingredients." He headed in the direction of the staircase, but as he moved towards it, his body quivered once again with pain. He knelt on the floor, willing it to fade, vaguely aware of his brother's offers of help. The younger boy's voice sent new waves of anguish through his head, and his voice was hoarse when he responded. "Just be still Steven, please!" He was no longer aware of anything but the all-consuming misery he was feeling until he felt a strong hand help him to his feet. Though his vision had begun to blur, he could barely discern the figure of his uncle, studying him anxiously. Severus heard the low murmurs of Sebastian and Steven talking, but could not concentrate on their words through the veil of pain. He teetered on his feet, finally seeking support on the edge of the stairs. Before long, he felt an object pressed to his lips, and he accepted it gratefully. Within minutes, he felt the familiar warm sensation of the Numbing Potion flowing through his veins. His pain continued to lessen, finally settling into a dull ache, and he looked up at his uncle with relief. "Thanks," he said softly, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.

"Don't thank me," Sebastian replied coldly. "Apparently my brother has not taken my warnings seriously."

"Did you really think he would?" Severus asked angrily. "He's done this to me for eleven years, do you really think talking to him would help?" Sebastian ignored the question as he stared at the gash on his nephew's head.

"What did he use?" he asked, withdrawing his wand.

"I don't know," Severus said flatly. "I was blacked out at the time." His uncle shook his head, then raised his wand to the level of Severus' wound.

" Rimarginarsi Medicorum." Severus felt an odd sensation where he knew the wound to be, and he reached up to it, only to find that it had vanished. "Be careful that you do not receive another wound in that location," Sebastian advised. "It won't completely heal for nearly a day." Severus nodded absently. "Are you going to tell me what happened?" His uncle's voice was low yet forceful.

"Severus was trying to get him to stop hurting Mum," Steven said quietly. Sebastian's face went white with - was it fear? In the dim light of the basement, Severus was unable to determine the nature of his uncle's reaction, but the quick retreat up the stairs told him that he'd been surprised at the least. The two brothers shared a confused glance as they heard his footsteps going into their parents' bedroom. When he did not return immediately, Severus turned to his brother.

"Let's go and get my trunk," he said softly. The boys trudged up the stairs in silence, neither of them knowing what to make of their uncle's reaction. As they turned the corner to continue to the second floor, Sebastian emerged from Severus' room, the trunk levitated behind him, and the cage containing Kenoa in his hand.

"I'll take this to the Evanses," he said, his voice uncharacteristically tight. He handed the owl to Severus , but did not say anything further. His nephews felt it would be better not to ask anything as they followed him to their neighbors.

Lily's smile of welcome faded as Rose welcomed the trio into the house. "What's wrong?" she asked immediately. Severus shook his head - he'd tell her later.

"Mrs. Evans, I wish to offer my sincerest apologies, but circumstances have arisen which prevent my accompanying you all to King's Cross station. I do hope you'll forgive me for my abrupt change of plans, but it is impossible for me to do so now." Rose looked at him, a confused frown on her face.

"I certainly hope it isn't something serious, Mr. Snape," she said with sincerity. "Is there anything I might be able to help you with?" Sebastian shook his head, his gaze turning to his oldest nephew.

"The only thing I ask is that you see Severus to the station in my absence. You know how to get onto the correct platform, Severus?" The boy shook his head as he stared up at his uncle. "It's fairly simple," Sebastian explained. "All you do is walk at the barrier between platforms nine and ten." He looked up again at Rose. "Unfortunately, Muggles cannot reach platform nine and three-quarters," he said with a sigh. "The train leaves at precisely eleven-thirty, so as long as you wait until eleven-forty for the two of them to come back through, there should be no problems. And if there are, they can always owl." He looked over towards where Lily's trunk sat by the door. "Will you be taking your car, then?" he asked abruptly. Rose nodded.

"Albert's just returned from seeing Petunia to a friend's house," she answered.

"I'll just pop these in the trunk then, shall I?" Sebastian asked. Without waiting for an answer, he promptly levitated Lily's trunk and proceeded back out of the door. Rose looked after him concernedly.

"Is everything all right, Severus dear?" she asked as she watched her husband helping Sebastian with the luggage.

"Yes," he answered quickly, not wanting to alarm her. It wasn't exactly lying, he thought as they piled into the car and bade Steven and Sebastian goodbye. After all, with Sebastian looking after her, Rebekah was bound to recover more quickly, wasn't she? Severus watched his uncle and brother walking swiftly back to the house as the car pulled away, then settled moodily into his seat. He stared out the window silently, ignoring the questioning looks he was getting from the other occupants of the car. Kenoa hooted loudly and pecked his arm affectionately through the bars. As he absently stroked his feathers, he thought again of his uncle's strange reaction. Now that he thought about it, Sebastian always seemed to explain away his mother's behavior towards her sons, and he never let Severus forget that she was also a victim. Now he was forgoing his trip to King's Cross to look after her? Was she something more than a sister-in-law to him? He shook his head as the scenery whipped past the window. So far, his escape from his home had not been anything like what he'd expected.