Peach Colored Walls

Severus found himself tracing his scar in the moments before sleep. He knew there soon would be more. Dr. Gray had discovered that the organs of wizards and witches were stronger and healthier due to the magic in their systems and a lifetime of potions. They were perfect candidates for organ donations. They were going to turn them all into spare parts. He was now missing a kidney; though the doctor assured him he had only needed the one and was being quite selfish in refusing to donate it. It really didn’t matter what he had said, he awoke several hours later sore and confused. Severus knew he would soon find himself lying motionless, hooked to machines, and his organs being harvested for muggles. They needed to escape, soon.

He’d been attempting magic since they arrived but hadn’t had much luck. A few times he had caused his pillow to hover beneath his head during a very intense orgasm. He didn’t think that would be much help, though the guards would probably be a bit distracted if Severus stood there wanking in the halls while casting disarming spells on them.

Severus scratched at the angry looking puckered skin on his torso. Harry had succeeded with wandless magic; Severus had felt such relief when Potter had told him that. They needed him; Harry was the strongest though he always was unaware of that fact.

The door to his room slowly swung open, Severus knelt down on the cold floor. He kept his head bowed and concentrated on the shiny leather boots that came into his vision. Monroe was a sadist and reminded him so much of his fellow former Death Eaters. He knew how to handle the man. Submission was key, Monroe didn’t enjoy the beatings as much if Severus didn’t resist.

“Good afternoon, Professor.” Severus sneered at the man’s laces; Monroe loved to call him professor. The man thought it was a huge joke that the wizards had actually had private schools, the thought of Snape being a teacher there amused him for reasons Severus couldn’t understand.

“Monroe, how do you do?” Monroe had a deep rich laugh, his whole body shook with it. Severus could not comprehend how the guard was still able to laugh. He couldn’t remember the last time he had truly laughed, not a chuckle but a laugh that made his cheeks hurt and his ribs ache. It must have been before that time he had cast crucio on a small muggle child per requests.

“Dr. Gray has requested your presence for tea.” He winked and smirked at him. “Come on now can’t keep the good doctor waiting.”

Severus braced himself against the bed pushed up off the floor. He smoothed his hands down the front of his gown; his fingers lingered over the bump of the incision mark. Monroe held the door open for him and indicated for him to step through first.

The hall was empty, void of people but not the screams of the inmates. He had been moved closer to the lab since Gray had taken an interest in him. One of the other inmates had talked, told the man about Snape’s potion making abilities. Severus had no problem making his potions for Gray; he had been used for that purpose many times before.

He refused to recoil when Monroe reached his arm around him, pressed himself close and pushed the large white door open. He stepped into the brightly lit room; he forced his shoulders back and walked right up to where Dr. Gray stood waiting for him.

“Severus, you are looking well. Has your incision healed properly?”

Severus nodded and denied his hands their need to touch the long scar again.

“Yes, well I’m afraid we are going to have to go back in again. Lots of people to save, eh?” He flashed a brilliant smile of perfect white teeth. Snape was instantly reminded of Lockhart, the man just needed to trade in his white lab coat for something insanely bright and gaudy.

Severus watched as Gray turned and headed toward a door at the opposite end of the lab. There was a small pane of glass at the top allowing the doctor to keep an eye on his patients in the hospital wing.

His bare feet were silent on the tile floor as he moved hesitantly to that door. He had spent days lying in that wing of the institution, his body remembered it. His scarred chest started to itch as he stopped in the open doorway.

Severus scanned the room, seven patients were lined up neatly along the far wall, he turned his head and counted nine more patients. It was impossible to tell from where he stood as to whether they were witches or wizards. All of them had the same closely sheared hair, their bodies were emaciated and any curves the women would have had disappeared months ago.

Beside him lay a skeletal man; the white sheets were stained with fluids that had seeped from infected wounds that lay beneath it. The skin was pulled tight against bone, the jaw, cheek bone and eye sockets were plainly visible. If it hadn’t been for the large scar that covered the right shoulder he never would have recognized the werewolf.

Over the years Severus had trained himself not to react when the fight or flight instincts started to kick in. A drop of sweat traveled down the side of his face, the stench of urine, feces and rotting flesh made him swallow down the bile that was rising in his throat. It was quite clear to his nose that one of these patients had died at least two days ago but no one had bothered to do away with the corpse.

Gray noticed his discomfort and smile reassuringly at him. “Bit ripe in here, I’ll admit that. Now come on, we have a gurney set up over here for you.”

Severus’s legs were frozen, the muscles refused to work and move him in the direction Gray had indicated. How much more of this could his body handle? How much more could his mind take?

A shrill bell and flashing red light reprieved Severus of having to climb onto the hard gurney which was sure to become his new boggart. Gray rushed to the door and out into the hallway.

“He deserved it I swear!”

“Guard Williams, what the hell happened here?” Gray reappeared next to a stretcher that was being carried by two nervous guards.

“The little shit attacked me when I brought him in his lunch tray.” Williams wiped his bloody hands on his pant leg. “Complete self-defense, Doctor.”

“You expect me to believe that this scrawny lad was really a threat to you?” Gray sounded pissed and Severus felt a little thrill knowing a guard was actually facing punishment for harming an inmate.

“Professor! Have you a potion in that cabinet to stop bleeding?” Gray tugged on a sheet hard and the current occupant of a bed tumbled to the floor. “Place him here.” Severus inched closer as the old habit of jumping in took hold. “Definitely internal bleeding. What did you do to him?” Severus missed the hatred that crossed Williams face at being accused of any wrong doing; his eyes were set firmly on the swollen face in front of him.

“Harry….”