Chapter 1

Professor Severus Snape, Potions Master of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, rose silently from his mountain of paperwork. He was completely tuckered out by marking all the horrendous student essays, but he had no choice. If he did not do as he was told, Headmistress Umbridge would come down hard on him. Together with the frequent Death Eater meetings with the Dark Lord, the work that he was going through at a rapid rate was taking a toll on him, both mentally and physically.

Presently, he had to go to the Wester Forest to pick some Potions ingredients for the next day's NEWT class. How unfortunate it is that it only can be plucked by moonlight, it is already bad enough as it is... He thought grumpily as he swung his travelling cloak around his shoulders. Naturally, it was black. Other than the obvious fact that he loved the colour black, (seeing that he never ever wore any other colour), it also made it easy for him to blend into the dark, to remain unseen from any possible predators in the Wester Forest.

He heaved a long-suffering sigh as he trod slowly towards the gates that guarded the entrance. He swept through the fast-darkening corridors quickly, looking exactly like an overgrown bat as his cold black eyes glittered in the impenetrable darkness. As he approached the towering and intricately-wrought gates silently, his robes that were swishing in his wake was the only thing that betrayed his presence. He murmured the spell to open the gates, and slinked out of the Hogwarts grounds. He muttered under his breath the counter-spell to close the gates, then Apparated to the Wester Forest.

As Severus's feet touched ground, he drew his voluminous cloak around him. The cold, blustery winds that always swept through the forest at night always succeeded in chilling him to the bone. It was even worse than his own drafty dungeons! (And that was quite saying something.) He shivered briefly then composed himself.

Severus wended his way through the outskirts of the looming forest. He knew that it was only possible to find the Potions ingredients in the heart of the forest. He wished fervently that he could find his Potions ingredients quickly, but he knew in his heart that it was absolutely impossible. He sighed heavily and resigned himself reluctantly to a long and tiring night.

As Severus bent over his aching back once more to pluck the last ingredient, he gave a moan of relief. Finally, he had finished plucking all the ingredients. He glanced at the moon and estimated it to be slightly past midnight. Now, he could get back to his beloved dungeons and have a good night's sleep, before he got ready for the next accursed NEWT class. He straightened up and slipped silently through the lengthening shadows, walking briskly back to the open ground outside the forest. Whoever was that Ministry idiot who put Anti-Apparation wards onto the forest, I am so going to kill you. He thought maliciously as he placed his right foot outside the Wester forest that had a distinctly oppressive atmosphere.

Just as he was about to Apparate back to the grounds outside Hogwarts, a black, shadowy shape silhouetted against the piercing moonlight caught his eye. He narrowed his eyes into tiny slits. What the hell is that? He decided to take a closer look, knowing that it was the only way to satisfy his curiosity. Severus pulled his black hood over his head, (to hide his true identity), and sped towards the shape with lightning speed.

As he slowed down to a halt beside the shape, he was shocked to find an injured raven lying there. One of the raven's wings was awkwardly splayed out, while the rest of the body seemed fine. He knelt down beside the raven and stroked its soft and fluffy feathers tenderly. Deep down, he had always nurtured a soft spot for ravens. They were so alike him in many ways, from their physical appearance to their innermost character. As he stroked the raven, a plan began to form in his mind. Maybe he could tend to the raven's injuries, and when it was finally fully recovered, he could keep the raven as his pet.

He wrapped the raven gently with his cloak and Disapparated in a dramatic swirl of black robes. He hastily muttered the spell and counter-spell to open and close the metal gates. He then scurried to his private chambers, desperate to start tending to the poor raven.

Author's Note: Tell me what you think about the story in your review. Pretty please with a cherry on top? (Flutters long eyelashes at you) :)

Yours sincerely,

severussnape922