Teach me (Book 1)

02 || Weak

I wake up in a big bed under a black velvety blanket. At the end of the bed I see two men having a serious conversation. When I open my eyes more, I notice it's professor Snape and Dumbledore.

They look at me when I try to sit up straight, but fail miserably because of how weak I am. As I lay on my back I realize that I've got a massive headache and I'm quite nauseous.

"W-what happened?" I groan weakly while trying to get up again.

"Easy, Miss y/l/n. You are still very weak." Snape walks over to me and gently pushes me back on my pillow.

"Y/n, what I'm about to tell you will shock you, so be prepared. Voldemort and his followers had planned to kill you in order to get to Harry, to make him weak. But because Severus is our spy, he knew about the attack and reported it to me. Together we made a plan to keep you safe." Dumbledore explains.

I look at him with big eyes and listen carefully to every single word. I'm trying to make sense of my last memory to figure out their plan, but just decide to listen instead.

"The only way to protect you from them was to fake your death. So Severus brewed a potion to make you seem dead. Luckily, they believed it." He continues.

"Hold up, people think I'm dead? What about my sister? And Harry?" I ask in shock.

"No one can know you're alive, y/n. That's why you have to go into hiding. You'll be living here, in Severus' chambers and you are not allowed to leave, ever. But don't worry, Severus will give you private lessons so you will not fall behind on school." Dumbledore ends.

My mouth is open as I look at him in shock. "B-but what about my parents?"

"They think their daughter has passed away." Dumbledore answers calmly.

"This is insane! This is outrageous!" I yell weakly, trying to get out of bed. "And why on earth am I so weak?" I ask frustratedly as I struggle to get up.

"Because a potion to make you seem dead, gets your body to a state where you almost are dead. You've already been asleep for two days and it will probably take a week to regain full strength." Professor Snape tells me, as he pushes me back down by pressing one finger just below my collarbones. "But if you keep this up, it'll take months"

"I have to go now, but I trust you will be alright and listen to your professor." Dumbledore says to me as he walks to the door.

"What? You can't just-" I start but get interrupted by Snape. "Nothing I can't handle, Albus." He nods and Dumbledore disappears through the door.

"How long do I have to stay here?" I ask with a grumpy look on my face.

"Until the Dark Lord has been defeated." He states coldly.

"WHAT? That could take years!" I yell in shock.

"I'm well aware, Miss y/l/n. But at least now you get to live them and have a future." He replies a bit irritated.

I just look at him with narrowed eyes and furrowed eyebrows.

"If that's all, I have classes to teach and places to be. I suggest you stay in bed and rest, I'll be back at lunch." His dark monotone voice states.

He swiftly walks away and I can hear him locking the door with a strong spell.

How can your life change so quickly? A few days ago I was just a normal teen witch, I was about to lose my virginity, I had fun with friends and I focussed on getting good grades. But now, I'm dead! Well, now people think I'm dead! And I'm forced to live with the scariest teacher on the planet! I just want to hug my sister and I want Harry to hold me close. I want to tell my parents I'm alright.

Even though my mind is restless, my body is exhausted, which enables me to fall asleep anyway.

When I wake up, feeling a bit stronger already, I notice a plate with food on my nightstand. There's also a little note with a message on it.

You were asleep and I didn't want to wake you. You haven't eating in a while, so I strongly advice you to eat all of it.
Snape

It smells delicious and I hear my stomach growling. I happily eat every last bit of food on that plate. When I put it back on the nightstand, I decide to explore my new home. Carefully, I push myself up to sit straight. My arms are still wobbly, but they do get the job done.

It's not until I get up from under the covers that I realize I'm not in my uniform anymore. I'm wearing my silky pink pyjama shorts and matching tank top. My warm feet touch the cold floor as I'm trying to stand up. When I fall to the ground, I realize legs were clearly not ready for that. My skin being in contact with the cold dungeon floor makes me feel even sicker than I already was.

Why am I so stupid?

Now that my body is cooling down quickly, I find myself not being able to stand up again. I try to grab the bed and pull myself up, but that also doesn't work.

This is the most awful feeling in the world. Being powerless and weak. Not being able to save yourself. Being completely defenseless.

As I slowly start to feel numb, I can't hold my body up into a sitting position anymore, I fall to the ground completely and the cold seeps into my arms as well. I can see my skin turning paler by the minute.

But then all of a sudden the door opens and professor Snape walks in. When he notices me, an expression that I've never seen on him grows on his face, genuine concern. He walks over to me swiftly and slides his arms under my legs and back. He lifts me up and gently lays me down back on his bed. Then, he tucks me in tightly, trying to warm me up.

"How did you manage to fall on the floor?" He asks sternly.

"I-i just w-wanted to look around." I stutter anxiously.

"You'll have plenty of time for that, Miss y/l/n." He scans my pale and exhausted face.

"I told you to stay in bed. Don't let this happen again, Miss y/l/n. You don't want to force me to take unpleasant measures." His voice is deep and slow, sending shivers down my spine. With that he walks over to a chair on the other side of the room and starts reading a book.