Snakes and Ladders (Fem!HPxLM) (DISCONTINUED)

Athazagoraphobia

Severus surveyed the four teens before him, three looking out of place and concerned, while Draco looked slightly bored. 

He sighed and rubbed his temples, feeling the beginnings of a headache coming on. 

"How did this happen?" he asked the room, glaring at Draco as he attempted to speak, already knowing what his Godson was about to say. "Yes, Draco, I know magically how it happened, but you already know that's not what I'm asking". 

Draco huffed and slumped in his seat in a way his mother would've slapped him around the back of the head with a newspaper for, sulking slightly but smirking when he heard the twins trying to hide laughter.

Hyacinth sighed, bringing attention to herself before she started to speak, voice meek and quiet. 

"It was in second year. Ron, Hermione and I had argued over something so utterly stupid that I can't even remember what it was about. Still, it ended with them not talking to me until the week before we left for the summer holidays. They completely ignored my existence, and it reminded me of being back at the Dursleys so much that one day I had a panic attack in one of the alcoves during dinnertime. All I could remember thinking was how much I wished I had a big brother to lean on, someone who would comfort me" Her admission was quiet. So quiet even that they had to strain their ears to hear her. 

From a shadowy corner of the room, they all saw Tom swipe a hand down his face, his expression looking heartbroken that his daughter felt so alone that her magic created a soul-sibling bond.

Fred and George, who sat on either side of her, each placed a firm, reassuring hand upon each shoulder blade.

Hyacinth sniffled slightly and wiped a stray tear from her face before she continued.

"I remember feeling something, like a water droplet, sliding down my back, but I chalked it up to being sweat and thought nothing of it. I remember feeling the need to sit closer to the twins for a while during mealtimes, but that didn't last for more than two weeks, and by that time, Hermione and Ron had started talking to me again, so I forgot all about it."

The twins nodded simultaneously, both looking more serious than they ever had. Fred began to speak.

"It was more intense for us for a little while. Being away from her during the summer made us uncomfortable, almost like an unreachable itch. It got so bad that we convinced Ron to go with us to break her out of her relative's place. I remember he complained about her the whole journey there, and I had to hold George back from hitting him all while trying to keep the car flying in a straight line." Everyone, even Severus, chuckled slightly before the room sobered and became serious again.

George leaned forward in his seat, clasping his hands in front of him on his lap while Fred's hand remained on Hyacinth's shoulder. She was crying softly, remembering that summer. That was the summer Petunia had held her hand on the oven hob; the dial turned on to full until her hand blistered and bled.

"When we got there, there were bars on her windows to prevent her from getting out. I remember that Ron actually laughed, and then I really did punch him. Mum went barmy when she saw his bloody nose, but no one ever told her how it happened. We had to use our hands to pull the bars free so she could get into the car through the window. She got in just as a massive bloke barged into her room. Mum took one look at her when we got home and tutted. She acted concerned, but we could tell she didn't care because it was the same inattentive 'care' she gave us throughout our childhood. She provided food, drink, blankets, and stuff, but there was no comfort. Like she was going through the motions," he finished, and Fred picked up again.

"But we felt better having her closer. I think that summer she spent more time with us than Ron and Ginny" He looked at her for confirmation, and she nodded, eyes red and puffy from crying but no longer producing tears. Fred smiled sympathetically and wiped a tear from her cheek before he continued. "She read with us and even helped with some of our pranks. Professor Snape, I regret to inform you that the pink hair prank we pulled on you was the genius mind of your daughter."

There was a loud "That was you?!" from Draco before he dissolved into uncontrollable laughter, only quelled by Severus' bone-chilling glare. 

"After that, though, things went back to what I would call normal at the time. Ron got jealous of me spending so much time with the twins, Ginny kept trying to put me off spending time with them, and Molly would sometimes even physically pull me away with stupid excuses like she needed help washing the dishes. I didn't realise at the time that they were trying to keep me away from them" Hyacinth finished the story and leaned her head on Fred's shoulder, emotionally drained from the story and the crying. 

Severus swiped a hand down his face, the shaking of it not going unnoticed by the room's occupants. Tom stepped out of his shadowy corner to place a reassuring hand on Severus' shoulder, something he seemed to do a lot Hyacinth had noticed. 

"Himmy", Severus called, voice sounding strained and tired. The small elf popped into the room and looked concernedly at Hyacinth's swollen eyes. "Please bring me Hyacinth's Gringott's paperwork, the birth certificate and the vault information. Also, please bring a headache potion for me and possibly one for Hyacinth."

The worried elf nodded and, with a quick curtsey, popped out of the room only to pop back in seconds later with everything she had been asked for. Severus and Hyacinth both downed their headache potions first, Hyacinth grimacing at the bitter taste but relaxing once the potion took effect. 

Severus paused briefly before asking Himmy to bring him two calming draughts. He had a feeling he'd need to force them on the twins after he showed them the paperwork.