Disclaimer: Once again, I do not own Harry Potter in any way. Harry Potter is the property of J.K. Rowling entirely. I do not make any profit from this and never shall.

Author's Note: Here we go with Chapter 2! Thanks to the reviewers and everyone else who has taken an interest. It does my heart good to see that so many of you have put the Story Alert on :) Review and you would make my day! I don't believe in very long chapters, so more will follow in Chapter 3.

If You Survive the Storm/ tragicladypirate

Revenge had been the focal point of Snape's existence for almost as long as he could care to remember. From his impoverished childhood at Spinner's End, he had been presented with nothing if not the reality of the world, cold and barbed though it was. Within his first decade of existence he had come to fully grasp what others struggled with their entire lives. Namely, that whether you lived or died was entirely own responsibility. To even presume or be so foolish as to desire otherwise would be a mistake. A mistake for which his mother had paid dearly. The belief that another individual would be predisposed, let alone capable, of looking out for your welfare was nothing short of self-delusion.

The domestic violence exhibited upon his mother at the hands of his useless drunken father had been but the first step in his education. The humiliation and indifference he met upon his arrival at Hogwarts had been yet another. The constant derision and gibes had added insult to injury, alienating an already bitter child and condemning him to a school experience almost entirely devoid of amicable relations. Estranged from most of his peers, Severus had found solace in his lessons, pursing his studies with an almost frantic fervor, further isolating his classmates. Although Severus would be loathe to admit it, these experiences had left him jaded.

Pushing thoughts of the past away, the Potions Master grunted slightly as he stepped over a fallen tree. Musing about his current predicament, Severus Snape continued to trudge through the forest undergrowth. Muttering under his breath, the man was obviously aggravated. To Severus, that the Dark Lord saw this mission as a test was more than apparent. His situation was precarious at best and simply waltzing into Hogwarts would serve him as well as painting a target on his chest. 'Black always was one to shoot hexes first, ask questions later' he growled inwardly. No…while Black was his main objective it would be suicide to presume that merely waving the proverbial white flag would be enough to protect him. Voldemort would expect him to realize this and resort to craftier means.

Reaching into his cloak, his fingers closed around his dragon-hide satchel. Equip with a Disillusionment charm and entirely non-flammable, this unassuming shoulder bag had served as his secret weapon on more than one occasion. From this he pulled out a small glass vial. A potion of his own concoction, the brew was a milky white as well as odorless. Clenching the vial in his fist, Snape continued his trek. Upon reaching the outskirts of the Forbidden Forest, he stopped as the outline of the Hogwarts castle loomed in the distance.

Snape attempted to position himself advantageously, in plain view yet not immediately obvious. This had to be done properly. No good going through all this trouble and having it look contrived. Once again reaching into his satchel, he withdrew a small dagger. He then pushed back the sleeve of his cloak, exposing his left forearm. Without hesitation, he dug the blade into his flesh clenching his teeth against the pain. Lord Voldemort had seen to it that the Dark Mark was irremovable and that great anguish was inflicted upon any bearer who attempted to mar it.

This however meant nothing to Severus, as his intention was not to remove the mark. In fact, it was quite the contrary. Using the blade, he began to carve into his skin. He proceeded to make a large, vertical cut before diverging into a downward facing semicircle, taking care to cut as deeply as he felt sensible. Sheathing the small weapon, he transferred the potion to the hand of his uninjured arm before removing the cork stopper and downing the drink in one large gulp. 'Odorless but not tasteless' he thought with a grimace.

He quickly stowed both the dagger and bottle. Knowing that one of the main ingredients was Acromantula venom he did not have to wait long. The potency of the giant arachnid's toxin coursed through his veins and almost instantaneously the poison started to take effect. Surrendering himself to the pain, Severus doubled over, allowing himself to sink to the ground. As his vision blurred, he cast one last look at his arm. 'I do hope this is enough blood to draw him quickly' he thought dryly, 'I very well might be dead before that blasted lycanthrope even arrives.' Eyes rolling back in his head, Snape was unconscious even before the convulsions began.

…

Remus Lupin considered himself to be many things, but a fool was not one of them. Even in his human form, the scent of fresh blood had been enough to coerce him into deviating from his typical route as he patrolled the Hogwarts grounds. The scent was oh so alluring…and its presence more than a bit alarming. Upon locating the source of the smell, Remus was at a momentary loss. A comatose figure clad in black lay on a grassy knoll near the entrance to the Forbidden Forest. Although this person was disheveled and obviously gravely wounded, Remus was not anxious to blindly charge into what could be a trap. Reaching into his pocket he withdrew his wand. Before he could send up the traditional red sparks to alert the others, he felt a jolt as he identified the face.

Against his better judgment, Remus lowered his wand. Calling for help now wouldn't do any good; better to know more about the situation before sounding the alarm. Still suspicious, Remus crouched before the fallen figure, trusting his heightened senses to warn him of any movement behind him. Drawing closer to Severus he could see the extensive damage that had not been noticeable from a distance.

That the man had suffered massive blood loss was clear and the hemorrhaging was still profuse. Severe bruises had begun to blossom on his face and Remus was quite sure that if the man were to survive, his hook-shaped nose would be even more disfigured, as it appeared broken in several places. Looking to his left, Remus noticed with mild disgust that Snape had vomited. 'Right, so not only has he been beaten to a bloody pulp, he's been poisoned to boot' the werewolf thought with annoyance. Remus's indignation soon died as his eyes fell on Snape's arm.

Were it not for the large amounts of blood stemming from the area Remus might have overlooked it. The blood was still wet albeit cold and through the red film the harsh black shape of the Dark Mark was readily visible. Yet it was not the sight of the mark that caused Remus to freeze with a sharp intake of breath. Seeing the symbol pared onto the skin, Remus suddenly felt winded. "My Gods…" he muttered, pausing to think for a few moments, "If that's the case…"

Reaching out an unsteady hand, Remus felt for the unconscious man's pulse. Relief trickled into his heart as he felt the weak beating. 'Faint but at least it's still there…for now' he thought absently. After seeing Severus's arm, Remus knew he had to get medical attention for Snape as soon as possible…and the Hospital Wing might not be a bad start. He contemplated casting Wingardium Leviosa and reluctantly rejected the idea. Performing even simple magic on someone so heavily afflicted had the potential for doing more damage than good. Remus hadn't a clue as to what had poisoned Severus or how it would react to his magic. He would have to find some sort of antidote for whatever poison Snape had been subjected to before he could risk using magic. The last thing Snape needed right now was to be injured even further.

Weighing his options, Remus did his best to gather the man in his arms with as little rough movement as he was able. Casting one last glance at the Forbidden Forest, Remus began to carry Severus towards the castle.

…

As the man was sallow and lanky under the best of conditions, his weight was minimal allowing Remus to carry him with comparative ease as he walked as briskly as he dared. Upon arriving at the doors, Remus transported Snape through the Entrance Courtyard and into the Entrance Hall.

Glad the Founders had saw fit to place the Hospital Wing on the first floor, he decreased his pace slightly, taking care to make as little noise as possible. Placing the still unconscious Potions Master on an empty cot Remus braced himself. Shutting the door to the Infirmary and retreating back to the first room he went about seeing to an antidote. Pawing through the many shelves and muttering to himself, Remus was so engrossed in what he was doing that he hardly registered the sound of the shuffling feet and the sound of the door clicking shut. It wasn't until a rough hand clasped his shoulder and spun him around that two thoughts registered; that he was no longer alone in the room and that unfortunately he was about to be in very hot water.