Unexpected Encounters : Chapter One

Disclaimer : as you know I don't own any of the character's or concepts that are in the Harry Potter books. They all belong to J. K. Rowling. No money is being made here. Just me here, writing a story.

Author's Notes : should I put this at the beginning or the end? I'm new at this so please help me out. Any advice, comments or concerns that you have please do tell me. I am using this story as a learning experience. Any comments whether good or bad, would be greatly appreciated since I can use it to improve my writting. Severus and Harry are the main characters of this fic. Draco is a good boy. (hehe.. well maybe not. Need to see how the plot plays out.) I am still unsure of the pairings, since I haven't decided whether it will be slash or not. There probably will be. Cuz it doesnt bother me. Although if I get lots of ppl telling me that they dont want slash in the story I can easily change the plot since I'm have not giving any evidence as to real pairings yet in the first chapter. There are hints though just to leave it out in the open. Which pairings would you, as the readers, like : Harry/Severus, Draco/Severus, Draco/Harry, Draco/Blaise[guy or girl?], Draco/Ginny, Harry/Ginny, Sev/Remus, Sirius/Remus, or anything else you can come up with. Tell me what other pairings should be in the background also, like Seamus/Dean, Dean/Lavender, Seamus/Lavender, Parvati/Seamus, Neville/and maybe a Slytherin etc.. Ron will be with Hermione for sure though, since I think that they are perfect for each other, don't you? Eh.. and does anyone know what Professor Sprout's first name is. I've been looking everywhere. Ooh well, on with the story.

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Headmaster Albus Dumbledore sat at the teacher's table in the Great Hall scooping up a glob of chocolate pudding. It was still summer and the school was very quiet. All the teachers had returned to Hogwarts to prepare for the beginning of school in two weeks, but most of the teacher's had finished their dinner already and were elsewhere.

Professor Minerva McGonagall, the Head of the Gryffindor House and the transfiguration professor, sat next to Dumbledore checking over the syllabuses of the sixth years again. They were going to add in a new component this year. Basically it was to train and prepare for the on coming war with Voldemort. The teachers did not want the students to go to war, but this training would definitely help them if they were ever caught in an unexpected situation.

The students were to choose two out of five courses; Animagus training, transfiguration healing methods used with healing herbs, charms used on plants and people to approach dangerous but useful plants, a potions component using the plants gathered from the last component and lastly a dueling component.

This new component was more like an independent study that was supervised by two teachers since the courses were basically a combination of two major courses; Transfiguration, Potions, Herbology and Charms. The teachers involved where also the Heads of each House. One class would be held each week for instruction and for the students to report to the teachers on their work and ask questions. Most of the work would be done on the students' own time. Extra meetings after classes could be arranged with teachers if the student chose to do so.

Animagus training would be the most painful. The ministry had only recently approved it to be added to the curriculum. But only after they had been given the assurance that all students would be interviewed and screened and that names and animal forms would be sent to the ministry within the first week of training. This course would be a combination of potions and transfiguration.

The combination of tranfiguration and herbology would make up a healing course. Madam Poppy Pomfrey, the school's mediwitch or healer, would also be helping the students if they had any questions.

The charms and herbology component would be about how to charm dangerous plants so that they needed parts can be safely collected. After the spells had been cast there should be no harm in getting close to the plants. Professor Sprout, the Head of Hufflepuff House and the herbology professor, felt that if the teachers and students were careful nothing would go wrong. The worst that could happen would be a fire or an explosion. They were wizards and witches, and such a thing could be handled easily.

The potions and herbology class would be mainly student lead experimentations and Professor Snape was considering teaching some more potent poisons to the class if he deemed them capable enough. The plants used would be the more dangerous plants gathered from the herbology/charms component. Professor Severus Snape, the Head of the Slytherin House and the potions professor, had already been setting up an old room in the dungeons which would be used as a student laboratory. Professor Filius Flitwich, the Head of the Ravenclaw House and the charms professor, had gone down yesterday to put up charms around the room to ensure that any accidents would not harm the rest of the school, and immediately alert the headmaster and teachers. This class was to be mainly taught by Professor Snape. Professor Sprout was just going to give some lectures about the plants collected. Potions were Professor Snape's expertise and Sprout did not find the cold stone dungeons much to her liking anyway and was glad that Snape wanted to take up most of the teaching.

The dueling component would be a new type of deuling, which combined tranfiguration and charms. It would teach the students to use anything and everything around them to their advantage. They would have to be quick on their feet and in their minds with the hands on experience at after class matches that would take place twice a week.

There would not be a charms and potions component, since using wand magic on a potion directly while it was being brewed could cause unexpected results.

Professor McGonagall looked up from her pile of parchments. She was quite pleased. The new components looked promising. As she rolled up the pieces of paper, she asked Professor Sprout on her right if she could pass her some of that chocolate pudding, with no sprinkles please.

There was a loud bang from the entrance doors, and moments later Rubeus Hagrid, the current Care of Magical Creatures professor and the Hogwarts gameskeeper, lumbered through the doors to the Great Hall. He was trying to catch his breath, but managed to pant out "Severus hurt.. centaurs.. Forbidden Forest"

Professor McGonagall was gave Hagrid a glass of pumpkin juice. He had finally caught his breath and said "Ronan is waitin' outside, 'e can lead you to Severus. 'e said somethin' about bitten, but there aint no full moon tonight and Severus is always careful. Don't know what it could be." Dumbledore called out to Professor Sprout "Go and alert Madam Pomfrey."

Dumbledore's usually twinkly eyes looked worried "Minerva, Hagrid lets go to Ronan." The three rushed out. Firenez had joined Ronan near the edge of the Forbidden Forest and they were nervously pawing at the ground. They looked up as the three got closer. "This way, follow" called out Ronan.

They did not get very far into the forest when they saw an uneven circle of centaurs. They were spread around Severus who was lying in the center, none of them getting too close. He lay there on the ground convulsing violently. Blood was flowing from a wound but there was so much blood that it was difficult to tell where it was flowing from and how much damage had been done.

Minerva let out a small gasp and looked over to Dumbledore. Bane stepped to the side and Dumbledore passed through the circle of centarus and approached Severus. "Severus?" The could not get close enough with him trashing like that. He pointed his wand and said "Petrificus Totalus" Severus' body seized up, straight as a board. "Severus, Severus can you hear me?" Severus' eyes looked up in an unseeing gaze past Dumbledore.

Dumbledore sighed "Mobilicorpus" Severus' body was pulled upward as though it was attached to tiny invisible strings coming out from the tip of Dumbledore's wand. The group of centaurs had left. Only Firenez remained. He looked up at the stars then to Dumbledore "His light will die but he will live." and turned and galloped off into the dark. Dumbledore looked slightly more hopeful and they quickly started back to the hospital wing.

Dumbledore looked over Severus. He brushed back the blood clotted hair. The blood from the bite mark on his neck was not flowing out as quickly as before and they could see the two puncture marks. Minerva questioned "Vampire? What would a vampire be doing at Hogwarts. They prefer the high- class Muggle cities."

For centuries now vampires have been using their mind powers to rise up in society in the Muggle world, posing as people of stature and wealth. They did not enter the wizarding world as often since there was a greater chance of being recognized if they were not careful.

Dumbledore "I do not think that it is just a coincidence that there just so happened to be a vampire in the Forbidden Forest. Now the thing is who was it and how did they know that Severus would be out here tonight? I'm sure we will be able to find out soon enough. Let's see how we can help Severus."

By then they had reached the hospital wing. Hagrid had already gone ahead to tell Madam Pomfrey and Professor Sprout about the situation so that they could get out the herbs and potions needed.

Severus was lifted by invisible strings on to a bed. With a flick of his wand Dumbledore switched Severus' bloody clothes for dark blue nightclothes. "We better strap him down. Minerva seal up the windows we don't know how long he will be here and I don't want any sunlight getting in." Dumbledore pointed his wand at the bed. Four straps wrapped around Severus' body and were fastened on the side. The stones of the walls grew wider and joined in to fill the spaces over the glass so that not a crack was left.

Poppy cleaned and healed the wounds on his neck. She looked into Severus eyes, they were still staring out fixed on something beyond his vision. She shivered. His usual piercing gaze was now so empty. She rested her hand on his forehead and drew back. He felt like ice. When Poppy was done inspecting Severus she nodded at Dumbledore. "Finite Incantum" with the body bind off Severus' body began its erratic trashing again.

"Does anyone know where Remus is?" Professor Remus Lupin, the Defense Against Dark Arts professor, would know the most about Severus' condition. He is a werewolf, and had been banned from teaching at Hogwarts two years ago. Albus Dumbledore managed to convince the Ministry of Magic that it was safe for him to teach if he took the Wolfbane potion each full moon. The Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, still did not agree with Dumbledore, but the rest of the Ministry did and Fudge was over ruled.

"Hagrid and Professor Sprout have gone off to look for him." replied Minerva. "Should I go tell the rest of the teachers?" "No, there is no need to yet. I'm going back out to the forest to ask the centaurs if they saw anything. Stay here with Severus. Tell me when they have found Remus."

Dumbledore left and headed back out towards the Forbidden Forest. Poppy and Minerva remained sitting next to Severus' bed. There really was not anything they could do but flip through a stack of books they had summoned up from the Hogwarts' library, which contained more myth than actual knowledge on how to treat a newly turned vampire. This had not happened at Hogwarts for well over a century. Poppy did not dare give him a calming potion for she did not know how he would react to it, now that he had vampire blood in his veins.

Hagrid, Professor Sprout and Remus ran into the ward. Remus looked over at Severus. How long has he been here. "Nearing fifteen minutes." said Minerva. "Where is Albus?" asked Remus. "He is in the forest talking to the centaurs." replied Minerva. "I'll get 'im." said Hagrid.

"Was he already like this when you found him?" asked Remus. "Yes, what is happening to him? Why is he trashing so much?" asked Minerva.

"The vampire blood is fighting to over power his human blood."

"Headmaster Dumbledore, sir, Professor Snape is in danger." "Draco!?" said Professor Dumbledore upon re-entering the hospital wing. The teachers turned. In the hallway stood a very thin, disheveled Draco Malfloy. He turned and looked towards the hospital wing. Severus was not in his line of vision, but he could see the teachers. He sighed "I'm too late again am I." he stated it more than questioned. "Tell us what you know Draco. Professor Snape should be all right. The centaurs were willing to tell me that much." said Dumbledore in a calm voice. Perhaps they could finally piece together what had happened. The centaurs would not tell him anymore since they had felt that by telling him that Severus would live that they had already said too much.

Draco slumped down on the floor outside the hospital wing and recounted what he knew "He Who Must Not Be Named still has not managed to gain immortality, so he has decided to become a vampire instead. Of course before doing so he wanted to test his idea. The one chosen was my father. My mother disappeared shortly after that. I'm hoping that she is still alive but I doubt that is possible. Last year I had been given an invisibility cloak. I was to gather information for the Dark Lord. One night I over heard a conversation between Professors Snape and Lupin and found out that Professor Snape was a spy. I kept this to myself, but over the summer my father made me drink Veritaserum. They found out that Snape was working for the Light Side. My father was sent here to kill Professor Snape. He made me owl a note to Professor Snape asking for help to lure him out to the forest. After he left I threatened the house elves for some floo powder. I got to the Three Broomsticks and flew by broomstick the rest of the way. That is what I know happened."

"He stopped moving." called out Madam Pomfrey. "Remus, what does that mean?" asked Minerva. "One side of the blood has won. If it is his human side then he'll die within a week. From the looks of it though it appears the vampire blood has won. He was so pale before though I can't really tell."

"I know 'e'll stay alive, them centaurs don't lie." responded Hagrid. "He still has a pulse, and he is not as cold as he was before. Mind you he's still freezing though. I can't even tell if that is a good sign or not." said Madam Pomfrey "Remus is there anything that we can do for him now?" Poppy asked she let go of Severus' wrist "Nothing much we can do. We just wait for him to wake up. If the vampire blood won then we will see signs by tomorrow night."

"Lets move him down to his chambers. He is not trashing anymore. He will be more comfortable there. Plus its a smaller area and we can put up charms." suggested Dumbledore. "All right" said Remus "and since his rooms are all in the dungeons we don't need to worry about sunlight."

Remus and Dumbledore, followed by Draco, took Severus down to his rooms. There was nothing flashy in the room. The floors and furniture were made of wood, giving it quite a warm and homey touch. The wooden antique chairs and tables were polished and well-kept . Full bloomed roses entwined with veins and thorns were carved into the mantle piece.

Remus lit the fireplace and placed Severus on the bed. He reached out and brushed aside the long black hair. Severus' eyes were now closed and he seemed to be sleeping. Tucking him in, Remus then turned to Albus. "Should we stay with him until he wakes up?" he asked "Yes, I'll just put up some charms first around his bed so that he can't get up without us knowing, and also some to keep him in this room. Now hold still I am going to put a spell on you so that if he hurts you he will get shocked. He won't get shocked though as long as he does not cause any pain. We can't take the risk of him biting someone."

After the spells were cast Remus said "I'll watch him, you two should get some sleep." "All right, after Draco and I figure out what to do with the remainder of his summer." replied Dumbledore. "Since your mother is missing and I would thing that we both agree that it would not be wise for you to return to Malfoy Manor we will need to find somewhere for you to stay. Normally if a student was staying over during the summer, I would suggest that they live in their dorm, but after what as happened between you and your father I think that you should move to a room of your own. So that you can get used to living there before the rest of the school returns."

Draco looked up from Severus to Dumbledore "I understand. I probably would not last too long in the Slytherin dorms with everyone hoping to use me to get into the Dark Lord's favor." "Yes, how about we put you next to Severus's room for tonight though and next morning we can find something more suitable." said Dumbledore

Draco walked over to Severus's bedside. He reached out and stroked Severus' cheek "Good night, Uncle Severus. I'm so sorry I could not get here sooner. Please wake up soon." turning to Remus "Good night, Professor Lupin. Make sure he will be okay." and added in a quiet voice "he's all I really have left now."

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well, how was it? was it boring? should I keep going?

katz_nipp

written : August 14, 2002 edited : January 11, 2004 - omg! im so lazy and not write =.= bad bad me