It was a cold December evening at Hogwarts when Severus Snape placed a black candle on his desk to light the room.
He was about to mark essays so he struck a match to light the candle. The match lit and he placed it on the wick.
Sighing, Severus sat down at his desk. He dipped the quill in ink when he smelled a burning odor.
He inhaled deeply to guess the source. Severus coughed uncontrollably as the scent entered his lungs.
Finally succumbing to the incense of the candle, he fell from his chair unconscious from the heavy fumes.
I was walking to ask Severus if I could borrow some ingredients for Dreamless Sleep Potion when I heard a thud inside the classroom.
"Sir?" I knocked on the door and then opened it when there was no answer.
I ran in when I found him sprawled on the floor next to the desk.
The candle that was burning caught my attention and I blew it out.
I knelt down by the Potions Master who was unresponsive. He seemed dead.
I placed my lips to his and gave him a quick breath followed by three presses to his chest.
On the second breath I forced into his lungs, a piercing gasp filled the room.
Onyx eyes flew open, peering at me. The black haired man wheezed harshly and coughed loudly.
"What do you want, Miss Broadway?" He sneered at me. "To take more of my ingredients?"
Severus stood, hovering over me.
I looked up at him in shock. "Are you quite alright, sir?"
The raven haired man wheezed again and coughed. He turned his back to me as I stood up, too.
Severus coughed forcefully until his lungs were cleared of the candle smoke.
"I came to ask nicely, sir." I said softly. "I'm glad you are ok, but I didn't come to take anything."
Severus coughed again. He sighed deeply, facing me again. "Very well, I shall take you to the storeroom. There shall be more ingredients there."
I nodded.
"What was that candle?"
Severus took a deep breath and sighed from his lungs. "It must have been a stray poisonous candle. I did not bother to check before lighting it. It can kill, if exposed to long enough."
"Are you saying that you could've died?"
He gave me a look of gratitude. "Yes."
Severus sighed as we walked the corridors. "I am being rather generous by allowing you to use these ingredients. Let us call it even, Miss Broadway."
"Thank you."
Severus smirked. "You've very welcome for saving my life."
