DISCLAIMER: I do not own or even claim to EVER own anything related to Harry Potter or its affiliates. It all belongs to Jo Rowling and the rights are still the sole property of WB and Scholastic and whatever other companies are in charge of distributing HP books, movies and whatnot. I am only a simple fangirl who had an idea and felt the need to write it down and share it with other fangirls who are of similarly-minded types.
Oh, and, in case that one didn't get the gist across: I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING! Only the laptop on which this was written and a slight case of insomnia. XD
Warnings: This is, in fact, a SNARRY, and as such will feature slash and its accompanying factors, so, to put it simply: No likey, no readey! :D
The Bloody Lion and the Snarky Snake
Chapter 1: Bloody Students
Bloody students, Severus Snape thought as he stalked through Knockturn Alley of all godforsaken places.
Snape, ever vigilant, had been awoken in the dead of night by an alarm. More specifically, one of the alarms placed at the entrances to all secret passageways leading to Hogsmeade. Not only was a student out of bed, they were out of the school.
Minerva though the alarms meant I was paranoid. This'll show her. He snarled, quickly turning around a corner, A student out of bed, not only out of bed but out of the school. And Apparating to this of all places. He'd followed the edge of a black, Hogwarts student's cloak and Apparation trail through Hogsmeade, into Diagon Alley, and now here, the bloody seedy underbelly of the Wizarding World. Blast it all.
It had all started several weeks prior. It was the beginning of the first new term at Hogwarts since the war. Snape still found himself wondering what diety's sick sense of humor led to his surviving that night in the Shrieking Shack just to be sent back to teach. If it weren't for the rather vivid scar on his neck he would have thought he must have dreamt it. Anyway, since the start of term, the castle had been much fuller than expected due to the former years' seventh years returning to retake- or as in the case of the bloody "Golden Trio," take for the first time- their seventh year due to the NEWTS being cancelled… and their having a couple of crazed, sadistic teachers the year prior.
Personally, Snape was under the impression that a truant Wizard should have been set upon the Gryffindor three to adjust their seeming general disregard for the necessity of school. War or no, who are they to think that gallivanting across the globe for months is more important than their education. Saviors. Bah. More like responsibility shirkers. Fame has its perks, it seemed, for the so-called "Saviors of the World." Or, as the Daily Prophet headline for May 2nd read: "Wizarding World Saved Single-Handedly by Harry Potter (and co.)" Single-bloody-handedly they said. As if the Order, faculty, Aurors and even the students hadn't been fighting as well…
This year, however, a student, at least once weekly, had been sneaking out of school. It had started as Snape just catching the hem of their robes wandering around the castle at night, and had escalated to him chasing them as far as Hogsmeade before losing their trail.
He ducked underneath a sign depicting some sort of sale on something that looked dangerously like the limbs of a small human. He made a mental note to return to that particular corner at some point and pull out his best intimidation for whatever bastard was selling baby parts. He shuddered.
He knew it had to be a Seventh Year, as they were the only ones legally allowed to Apparate. Also the only ones skilled enough to skulk around the castle without getting lost. And without being caught. At least, that's what they thought. Didn't count on my finding you, did you, you delinquent? Snape thought to himself with a smirk.
Granted, he'd caught a break that night. The ne'er-do-well hadn't Apparated as soon as they'd planned, leaving Snape with enough time to track them. Though, he hadn't planned on wandering Knocktun Alley- at night!- when he'd followed. He almost glowed with glee at the prospect of expulsions, detentions and otherwise horrible thing's he'd get to finally do to the student who dared to think they could outsmart Severus Tobias Snape!
Though, to be perfectly honest, Snape had indeed lost their trail at a point fifteen minutes beforehand. He was determined that he could and would find them once more. All of those years as a spy ingrained far more than a few useful skills into him. Not to mention, I'm on the list of most powerful wizards alive, what with the deaths of the Dark Lord and Dumble- No, and Albus. Toward the TOP of the list as well, despite what Skeeter wants to admit. Hell, I'd BE the top of the list if it weren't for that green-eyed menace. "Most Powerful Wizard of the New Century" my arse! Snape dodged past a hag, ignoring the repulsive leer she sent him. So he killed the Dark Lord? Riddle and Albus had done all of the work. The brat just shouted "Expelliarmus!" and all went well. Just luck. All Potter's always been is luck. Luck and others dying for him. Or just dying-
Snape caught himself as he slipped on suddenly wet cobblestone, the slick substance splashing and coating his shoe. He had walked into a puddle of something. Upon further inspection, and a wordless Lumos to light the dingy alleyway, he realized he landed in what could only have been a puddle of blood. Snape sighed. Some poor sod seemed to have found out the hard way what makes Knockturn Alley so dangerous.
He took a deep breath and, wand leading the way, stepped around the corner to the epicenter of the puddle and stopped, horrified.
Good news: he had found the student. Bad news: Harry Potter lay soaked in a puddle of his own blood, green eyes staring upwards, pleadingly, left hand futilely trying to stop the blood gushing from the open bite mark in his neck.
AUTHOR'S NOTE AFTER THE EDIT: For those of you with this on alert, and this is being reposted because I finally got around to rereading it and found quite the large amount of mistakes in it. xD Haha. Trying to fix this story, making it a tad... better. I suddenly found myself unhappy with what I had put and thought those reading deserved a more well put together story.
AN: So, this makes story two! XD
I don't know what it is with things I write having the first chapter end with Snape finding Harry in precarious positions, but man… Haha. I just realized it happens an awful lot.
I hope you like it. Reviews would be appreciated, but they are not mandatory. :D (Though, you do receive an e-cookie along with some e-milk to dip it in every time you leave, just sayin'. Some may even get soy or almond milk if they so choose to. ;D )
The usual warning: Flames will be openly mocked. I do enjoy constructive criticism and whatever random tidbits you would like to point out or add in or whatnot. :)
Yay!
-ForeverJynxed