Well, I promised a sequel to Severus, and here is the beginning. Let me know if you like it and I'll try to get the next chapter finished faster.

Such a ordinary day. The sun rose to brighten my cave. My wards protect my area from some unpleasant creatures. If I am to be truthful, it has become rather dull. When I first arrived here as a de-aged eleven year old, I had to fight for my survival. Now, ten years later, all I have is my potions to occupy my time.

Don't get my wrong, I prefer this to the Dark Lord and teaching first years, but the isolation just can't be good to one's mental health. Though I cannot change a thing.

I sigh as I turn around to walk into my cave, my home. It almost reminds me of the dungeons but with better ventilation. I lift my right hand and a nice fire starts under my cauldron. As I stare at the flames I can't help but sigh again.

So little to do, so much time to do it.

I reach for my "cat" fangs, ( I have no idea what else to call the creature), and my grinding stone. A shot of electricity runs up my spine catching my attention. Something is outside my wards, and trying to get in. Slowly, I dowse the flames and set the items back in their proper places. The entire time focusing on the attack.

Usually, if it is the MC's, (mutant chicken), they stop after a few minutes or so. Whatever it is isn't giving up. Clenching my teeth, I turn and walk out into the sunlit woods that surround the cave. My steps are quick but silent as I approach the warded area that under attack. As I near I can hear something besides the birds. Voices. I freeze in my tracks and take cover behind an older tree. I slowly slide down into a crouch and spy around the trunk. Four humans are standing outside the wards. Three men and one woman. Two of them are arguing, a plump man with a thinning hairline and a man who has a disconcerting resemblance to James Potter. The other man is tall with dreadlocks and the woman is watching the other men fight. Her olive skin gives her an exotic air, her hair is a shining chestnut with eyes to match. A part of my mind is slightly disturbed that I am paying more attention to her then the others.

"Rodney!" Potter's clone yells, I shift my focus to the them.

The plump one, Rodney, looks up from a white box in his hands, " What?"

Clone Boy sighs in exasperation, " That is what I'm asking. Have you figured this thing out yet?" he asks with a false calm.

Rodney narrows his eyes, " No, and it is driving me crazy! Its like its there but its not."

" What do you mean 'there but not'?"

Rodney rolls his eyes, " I mean it only shows up as some sort of controlled energy. According to the LSD there is no shield and nothing to power it even if there was."

Dreads twitched, " So all this was for nothing?"

Rodney shakes his head, " I didn't say that," he lifts a had and pushes it at the wards and makes the air seem to ripple, " Something is pushing back here. Something is controlling this energy to keep everything out. The trick will be figuring out what and how."

He turns back to his box as Clone Boy turns to the other two, " This could take awhile, why don't you guys set up a perimeter." Dreads turns without a word and walks away, the woman nods with a soft smile before following.

I pull back, shaking my head,absently pushing back a curtain of my long black hair from my eyes. Rule #1: never wonder without a place to retreat to. The MC's are most likely already tracking them.

The joys of a world that wants to eat you, I sneer faintly at the thought.

When, not if, the MC's attack, am I going to allow entry into the only safe haven in miles? My first instinct is 'Not Bloody Likely', but can I really do that to the only people that I've seen in ten years? I catch a glimpse of Rodney... Maybe. I shake my head harshly and sit back up. No. Not even then. As much as he reminds me of a Lemon Drop deprived Albus Dumbledore. I close my eyes and rest my head against the rough bark of the tree. The next question is can I? Not will I. Ten years really is to long. I puff out a breathe of air before opening my eyes again. Well, damn. I stroke my currently disillusioned wand, safely in its invisible holster.

A crackling breaks my train of thought, " Sheppard, there's something out here." Dreads voice statics at the end.

The Clone, Sheppard, sighs, " What exactly is 'something'?"

" Oh, probably something that wants to eat us," Rodney mumbles without looking up from his little white box.

In answer to Sheppard's question a loud rap-tap-tap echoes through the trees. Sheppard whirls around while raising a hunk of black metal in his hands, a muggle gun of some sort I'd guess, aimed into the trees. He reaches for his vest.

" Teyla? Ronan?"

" John, we need to-" a longer burst of what I can only assume is gun fire cuts her off.

Sheppard backs up to Rodney, " McKay?"

" I'm working on it. Nothing I try seems to be working though. It's like the thing doesn't exist."

" Keep trying."

The other two appear, which is Ronan and which is Teyla I don't know. Dreads is holding his right arm, a rather nasty gash seeping blood down to his hand which is holding what must be a different kind of gun.

" Sheppard! We gotta get outta here!" he shouts.

" What's out there?" Sheppard asks.

Dreads shakes his head, " Don't know but they are big with claws and teeth."

Rodney groans, " I knew it. We're dead."

" Not if you can get us on the other side of that shield," Sheppard replies.

" Not a shield," he mumbles.

"Whatever!"

This is to painful. How do muggles survive?with that thought I stand up and step out of my cover. Dreads is the first to react by raising his injured arm, strange gun unwavering. Sheppard and the woman not far behind. I narrow my eyes but I do not stop until I am no more than a foot from the wards.

" McKay?" Sheppard asks over his shoulder.

Rodney shrugs, " I don't know, I don't see him on the screen."

" Alright, well maybe-" an ear splitting shriek behind them cuts him off.

I look past them before growling in my throat and bending down. I quickly make a few runes next to the section of ward. I stand to place my wand hand on the now slightly shimmering ward, digging my fingers in and pulling. The ward peels back easily until a reasonable gap is left. I step to the side and motion with my head for them to hurry through.

One more shriek later, closer this time, and Rodney jumps through. The others look at each other before the woman, Dreads, and Sheppard step through. Just at that moment, an MC bursts from the foliage. The dingy brown fur is matted in places, at the tips of the beasts wings are a pair of talons which are extended forward. A electronic bleunt sounds behind me quickly followed by a red flash of light hitting the deranged thing. I glance back to see Dreads lowering his gun with a satisfied grin.

I look at the downed thing and reach down to drag it through the gap, simultaneously erasing the runes I carved in the dirt. The peeled back ward suddenly snaps back into its previous position as a whole flock of the bastards charge out and ram that same spot. The wards repel them back and they start shrieking at full volume.

Serves the bastards right, I nod my head and grab the clawed, fur-less, and heavily taloned feet of my MC and start hauling it home.

" I'll be damned. We're alive." Sheppard mumbles. I glance over my shoulder to see him staring at the MC's with something close to horror and revulsion.

Rodney looks at him, " Noticed that too, did you?"

" I think we should follow him." the woman's voice cuts in.

" What? Oh – ya. Come on then, guys." Sheppard's voice is quickly followed by the crunch of boots on the branch riddled ground.

Rodney's voice interrupts with a sarcastic edge, " Ya, sure. Just so we can be side dishes to a bowl of Á La Chicken from Hell Stew."

I cannot help but smirk at his comment, safe in that my back is turned to them. I might actually like that one even as annoying as he is. Chicken from Hell. Kind of like the sound of that.

I ignore them the rest of the way to my cave, once in the small clearing I drop the legs and walk inside. From outside I can here Rodney talking, curious as I am I stop and back up to the entrance.

" Charming."

" McKay." Sheppard sighs.

" What? He lives in a cave." he said 'cave' like the Dark Lord would have said Potter's name.

I roll my eyes heaven-ward as I move forward to gather my substitute tea. Its bloody awful but it is the best that I could harvest. I place my wooden pitcher, five cups, and a bowl of brown sugar-like crystals onto a wooden tray. Picking it up I make my way outside again.

" -ft us out here. What are we suppose to do now? Use smoke signals?" Rodney huffs.

I snort at that as I step out into the sun. I set the tray down on a stump turned table.

" Um, hey," I turn and raise an eyebrow in question at Sheppard, " Ya. I just wanted to introduce ourselves. I'm John Sheppard, this is Rodney McKay, Ronan Dex, and Teyla Emmogan. Ah... thanks for saving us back there." he glances back at his fellows.

I spy Dex's bleeding arm and turn to disappear back inside, I return with a claw jar. Dex stiffens when I approach but I ignore him, grab his uninjured arm and place the jar firmly in his hand. I turn back to the tea and fill a cup with the almost black liquid. I cannot help but grimace slightly at the smell.

Oh, what I wouldn't give for some real tea leaves.

Emmogan steps next to me and smiles briefly before pouring herself a cup. I watch in mild amusement as she sips the drink and screws her face up for a moment before regaining her composure. She turns to me with a curious glint in her eyes.

" What is your name?"

All this time trying to forget, that simple question brings back all those horrible memories. I wince as I turn my gaze into the black depths of my tea-like substance.

" You have a name, right?" McKay demands.

I turn my fiercest glare at him and inwardly grin when he takes a step back. I look back as Emmogan and sigh, " Sev."