Disclaimer: This applies to the whole story. Any recognizable Harry Potter characters, objects, events, places, scenes, quotes, et cetera do not belong to me. They belong to the wonderful JK Rowling and her associates. I am not making any profit through this piece and no trademark or copyright violation is intended. This story was made purely for the sake of my own amusement.

Summary: Snape is reminded of why he must endure all the anguish and torture at the hands of the Dark Lord. Entry for The Word Count Competition: Round 1.

A/N: Challenge on Megsy'42s Harry Potter Fanfiction Challenges forum.

Taragh McCarthy's "The Word Count Competition": The Word Count Competition is a round by round, elimination challenge :) 1. Each round will start with a word limit and a prompt that must be used within the story that you write. 2. The word limits will start small and progressively get bigger. 3. But, don't worry, the length allowed for writing the stories will get bigger as the word count grows. 4. When each round concludes, one person will be voted out based on a rubric that I have put together.

Round 1: Word Limit: 500 Words / Prompt: Breathe In, Breathe Out / Due Date: April 1st (Aka. April Fools Day) 0004 GMT

The story itself is exactly 500 words.

"Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising every time we fall." – Confucius

Stertorous

His breath was labored, harsh and shattering against the muted spectators. He fought to crawl to his knees, hands barely supporting most of his weight.

This was all Potter's fault, the arrogant bastard. He was just like his father. There had to be some way of salvaging this catastrophe. He managed to grit out from between clenched teeth, "My lord, if you would just allow me to explain—"

The blood-red curse ignited Snape's body once more, liquid fire searing his limbs with its hatred. Oh, the Dark Lord was furious. Every nerve was strained in acidic tension, drowning his thoughts with melting pain, and dowsing his throat with anguish. His shredded screams couldn't even reach his own ears as they began to bleed. His fingers clawed at the cold marble floor beneath his convulsing body. Every bone in his body felt like it was rupturing into countless fragments.

He was going to be insane at this rate if the Dark Lord didn't remove the Cruciatus Curse.

To his relief, He did release the spell, and Snape lay still, shallow and ragged pants the only resonances in the dim chamber. He kept his head bowed.

"Return to your assignment, Severus, and be sure to keep Potter from nosing through my affairs again."

"Yes, my lord," and he all but fled from His presence, Apparating straight into the Hog's Head. He shakily pushed himself up, grabbing the grimy counter to support his weight. Albus' brother glared at him over the bar. Now was not the time to bring out old grudges. "I need to use your Floo, Aberforth."

The man nodded roughly. "Just make it quick before someone sees you here."

He made his way unsteadily to the fireplace, and let himself be pulled in and through the emerald flames to the Headmaster's office. Falling uncouthly to the stone floor, he fought down the wave of queasiness, blinking to remove the blurriness from his swollen eyes.

"Albus, the—"

Something shifted to his left. His attention pivoted to the previously unnoticed occupant. There was someone sitting in the Potion Master's usual chair.

The person finally came into focus, and he was met by Potter's frightened visage. He seethed. How dare Albus allow the boy to see him like this? And was that pity in his gaze?

Anger worse than any he had ever conceived before, including the time the selfish boy entered his Pensieve, formed, clenching his innards excruciatingly. He sucked in a deep lungful of air to give the boy a verbal lashing, a sneer consuming his pain-wrought features.

And then he met Potter's vivid green eyes.

A quiet moment passed as his rage resolved into determination. He knew without a doubt he'd make sure Potter made it through this war alive, even if he had to sacrifice his own sanity to save the ungrateful brat.

The inhalation escaped his lungs, the Oath commanding his entire being. He was breathless with a revived cause.

He would do it for her.

A/N: Stertorous is a synonym for breathless.

Please take some time to review and let me know what you think.

~Lira Veralily