Opening old wounds (Severus Snape x (fem) reader)

Chapter Two; Mens Excoriavit

"what, prey tell, would, you want." The voice calls chills to my flesh. Tall, and dark, with his back turned to me, I doubt he even knew who I was anymore.

"I have been assigned as assistant potion master." I grit my teeth as he turns around, eyes scanning me from the ground up- subliminally poking at my mind with his own, "I see you're still into the mind games, Severus." I blurt before I could contain my glibness.

He swoops around the edge of his desk, eyes darkening as his mental jabbing lays off, "Ethera." He speaks my name like a forbidden incantation. Otherwise showing no visible reaction, he stares at me for mere moments before returning behind his desk mumbling, "unacceptable."

"Excuse me?" I said, emotions spiking, as I try to just smooth them back down, desperate to keep my cohesion- as I would not let him even glimpse into my mind.

"Just, nevermind that. If you're my assistant, fetch these from the forbidden forest outside castle grounds, the faster, the less displeased I will be with you." He spoke in an extremely short tone, almost in a bark, throwing a list inked on parchment at me, before withdrawing to his study.

I couldn't help but feel wounded- I knew  things weren't okay between us but such a cold greeting felt like overkill. I wondered what happened to him to make him so bitter, had something happened to lily?

I sharply dismiss the thoughts and decide to just do as I was tasked. I walked along the corridors before exiting the castle, towards a cute little hut, I don't remember it being there when I attended. On a whim I walked a bit closer to inspect it's curious design. Suddenly the door burst open, scaring me to high heavens, a shrill- absolutely girly cry of surprise came from my form.

"Aye there lass- didn't mean to frighten ya'." A very, exceptionally tall, and wide man laughed heartily, helping me up from where I'd collapsed, "if I didn't know better I'd say you were expectin somethin nasty, eh? names Rubeus Hagrid, and you are?" He held out a rough calloused hand, which I accepted, " Ethera Felborne," I said glumly, quite embarrassed.

"Felborne, Aye... I've herd that name before." His eyes grow sad with recollection- "ah, I'm sorry. That's probably a bit touchy. But it's good one of you is still around at least, right?" He tried to lighten the mood to no avail. But it was a sweet thought.

Hot flashes of memories rolled over my brain relentlessly.

/////////////////////Covered in a grim greenish filter////////////////

"Amanda, you have to trust me, take Ethera and Fieron away from here, get as far away as you can my dear, Vol----- will stop at nothing to kill you because of your blood status. Please, go I'll stay hear and stall them out as long as I can mana-"

The door across the room suddenly flies open wide, behind it stands a tall slender woman, as well as several others. The woman laughs menacingly, hysterically, as a pale, sickly man comes into the room; cloaked in what seemed to be shadow itself.

He lifted his wand, but I couldn't hear what he was saying, I was far too afraid- being only fifteen at the time, I had no way of defending myself or my family.

"Avada kedavra-"

It all happened so quickly.

////////////////////////////////////

Jolting myself out of the memory, I speak softly, "Well thank you Hagrid, it's alright, but if you'd excuse me I have to go into the forest now." I turn to leave but his voice stops me.

"Miss, oh miss, it really is dangerous out there, just be careful." His warning stings, and I nod; knowing all too well the dangers of the forbidden forest.

"I will be, thank you!" I shout, before proceeding into the woodline.

\\\\\\\\\\about four hours later///////////////////

"Alright....slime of toad, check.....bark of knarl, check....eye of spider, check....ugh wing of faerie..."

Looking around I remember that faeries like shiny things, so I opened my bag and simply casted Accio, "Accio earrings, all of them."

As I watched the jewelry fly out of my bag and onto the forest floor, I had the strangest feeling in the back of my mind- someone was observing me. Studying me.

It unnerved me, but just as I was about to say something a faerie flew out of the bushes. Trapping the creature before it could get away with it's treaure, I put it away in my bag. The feeling of being watched suddenly evaporated, and I spoke aloud to myself in a whisper, "okay thats enough dark dingy forest for me today."

The way back to the castle was narrow, and twisted over with roots; a strange song of hooting, chirping and squealing, echoed through the dense foliage, all-round me like an unpaid symphony. Even though the sun was lessened under the vast canopy- there were still gaps, allowing honey gold sunlight to touch the detritus covered floor. The environment hasn't changed much since thirteen years ago; the same sounds echoed now that did then, except with the warbled filter of perception.

It was roughly midday, as I finally reached where I could see the break of the woodline; before tripping over a particularly warty root, almost falling on my face, "Arresto Momentum!" The tips of my wand hovered barely above the ground, and I sigh heavily.

While getting my footing though, I noticed something else entirely strange on the forest floor; as I grew near, I gasped- clamping my hand over my mouth. It was a small trail of droplets leading to several splotches of mirror silver- it could've only been one thing. Unicorn blood. My Back starts to itch, turning to a fierce burning sensation across my scars there- I knew this was bad.
//////////In a painful dark place in the back of Ethera's mind//////
"Tell us, girl." A vile voice says in my ear.

I can't move, I can't see, most likely suspended and blindfolded. Another lasting with his wand, and I'm weeping.

"I don't know what you want, I don't know any mudbloods, I don't even have friends!" This response earned me many more lashings, down my shoulders and hips- lines leaked blood, deep lacerations my body would not forget...

////////////

My eyes flutter open, as a tear slips down my cheek. Opening an ambutle, I scoop some of the silverly liquid, and re-cork the tube.

//////////Shortly later, afterwards//////////////

I came down the stairs in a flurry, cloack unfurling behind me- as I marched towards the potions classroom; unnerved by what I'd found in the woods. The door was already open, so I hurried inside.

"Severus, I have your list here. Be quick, I need to tell you about something I saw in the forest." I pulled the specimen jars from my bag, placing the parchment down before setting the glass containers side by side.

Like a shadow, he came from the back room, eyes fierce, "you were able to source every, last, ingredient?" He appreciates the specimens as he reaches the desk, "so you have."

I felt a sting in my chest, "you doubted me?" Attempting to feign a real emotion, I rolled my eyes, "of course you did. Well, everything you wrote is here, but there's more. I saw something in the forest you and the headmaster need to know about." Flattening my hands against his desk, I feel a chill creep up my neck, hairs standing on end. "It was unicorn blood, Severus. Unicorn Blood."

"There's no need to get excited, felborne. I'm sure it was a mere illusion casted by the forest." He explained with his hands, voice never waving once, as he checked things off of his list with a nearby quill. A hitch pitch tone began ringing in my ears..

"I knew that you would say that so I brought some. As proof." From the left pocket of my petticoat I pull a small vial filled with prismatic chrome, shaking it slightly in his line of sight. The scratching of his quill ceases, as he looks up. Still no visible reaction- which was staring to get under my skin.

I felt his consciousness nudge against mine, attempting to catch me off guard; a laughable attempt- and I pass him a narrowed glance. The sensation ceases almost immediately, as he simply returns to cataloguing the list.

"Very well, take it to Dumbledore." He says simply, dismissing me by the wave of his sleeved wrist. I debate wether or not to stand there and say more; but I turn heel, tired of his ever glooming presence.