Thank you to all my reviewers! It's been great getting your feedback on this story, I really appreciate you taking the time to comment.

Here's the second chapter, enjoy...

The Hospital Wing:

By Salazar, Merlin and Morgan, he hurt!

His body was one big ache, the focal points of the pain being his right shoulder and rib, and his left knee and part of the thigh. His head was groggy, and the taste in his mouth was foul. Lights danced before his eyes, even though he kept them closed. The pain reliever and sleep potion he had been given must have worn off. His thoughts were sluggish, his memory hazy in the first agonised moments of wakefulness.

He didn't move a muscle, the distinct scents and the notion of light through his closed eyelids too well known for him not to know were he was. The Hospital Wing. Being here, along with the pain, meant it was Bad. He never went here if he could handle his injuries himself, which he had done numerous times over the years to avoid the unavoidable fussing from Madam Pomfrey, who saw his presence in her domain as a slight to her professional skills. That was due to the Marauder's vengeance in third year, when the truly picked up the mantle of Tormentors of All Things Severus Snape. After the fourth time of treating his broken bones, the Madam had had a heated talk with professor McGonagall, and the Marauders had toned their antics down enough for him not to need professional help to heal – which was also due to his own practice in healing spells and potions, their harassment of him forced him to learn.

He hadn't made a sound, but as the dancing spots of light faded and the grogginess of sleep and pain cleared, he picked up the tapping steps of the nurse as she walked through the Infirmary. Moments later, the curtain around his bed was pulled back, and he sense her presence beside him.

"You need another dose and pain reliever, and you could use another blood replenisher. You look too pale. Here, sip slowly." He heard the swish of her wand, and his upper body was gently lifted so he could drink without problems. The rim of a glass was put to his lips, and he swallowed dutifully. He had learned the hard way not to argue with the nurse.

"Now, can you open those eyes? I need to see your pupils."

Slowly, blinking against the harsh light, Severus obeyed. The pain reliever had already kicked in, and he felt strangely numb now that the pain had gone. Madam Pomfrey nodded encouragingly to him, then tipped his head back and peered into his eyes. Seemingly satisfied, she waved her wand over him in the familiar pattern of a diagnosis spell. The numbers and symbols appearing in the air were bad, but not as bad as expected. The tendons in his right shoulder were torn, and the upper arm bone was broken. The fourth, fifth and sixth rib were bruised, but not broken. His right wrist was sprained, and his left kneecap was broken while parts of the thigh were torn up. All of it was mending, but slowly.

The Madam tsk'ed, then looked down at him. "You have been extremely lucky, young man. Not only did you survive, you did so with a minimum of injuries. Now, I will go summon your breakfast, and gather your potions. You will eat everything, and drink everything. Then I will change your bandages and examine you again."

Severus nodded, then licked his lower lip nervously.

"Did… did I kill him?" he asked, not faking the apprehension showing through in his voice and on his face. The curtain was still encircling his bed, securing his own privacy, but keeping him from seeing the rest of the room and the other possible patients. Not that he believed any rational person would allow a werewolf to reside with sick students, but the Headmaster had already made more than clear that he was not a rational wizard. No matter where they'd stashed Lupin, it was important for him to know. Killing the wolf had not been his intention – it would, in fact, impede his plan of revenge – but he could not recall if Lupin had still been breathing when Potter and an entourage of curious had barged into the Shack after the fight.

Madam Pomfrey's expression softened, and she returned to the bed. There was compassion in her warm, brown eyes. She had taken his enquiry as concern for his classmate.

"Mr. Lupin is still alive, Mr. Snape. He was sent to St. Mungos for treatment. The Healers expect him to pull through, just like yourself." Then she cleared her voice. "I'll go get your breakfast now. The Headmaster expect to be given notice when you're ready to be questioned, and I won't let him and those Aurors upset you without some food in you." with that announcement, the nurse turned and bustled away, leaving Severus to relax back into the soft pillows and ruminate over her words.

Five minutes later, a tray with a bowl of broth, a glass of water, a slice of soft bread and an array of potions were placed in front of him, and the sharp eyes of Madam Pomfrey prompted him out of his thoughts and made him reach for the spoon with his left hand.

"Madam? What happened to my wand?" he asked, having noticed it was not beneath his pillow or on the bedside table, before taking a spoonful of soup.

"Your Head of House has it. It will be returned to you shortly, I'm certain. Call me when you've eaten. I need to check on Mr. Potter now."

"Potter? Why's he here?" that Potter was in the Infirmary was a surprise. Severus distinctly remembered the boy barrelling into the Shack, looking healthy enough.

The nurse turned serious eyes at him.

"He got a concussion last night. It would seem, Mr. Snape, that even half dead and bleeding, you throw a fairly accurate Expilliarmus. It threw Mr. Potter into the wall and rendered him unconscious. Now, eat up." With that, she left him again. A softening of her mouth, however, ruined the air of sternness she aimed for in her lecture. They both knew that while the nurse disliked the consequences of fighting, she felt no particular empathy for Potter, as it was often his antics that landed his fellow classmates in her care.

Knowing he would be spoon fed if he didn't do as told, Severus set about emptying the bowl, dutifully drinking all the potions, while contemplating the upcoming meeting with the Headmaster and the Aurors.