Two: Seeing Signs

A week or so had passed and Severus had heeded Alena's advice in finding another victim. He'd also begun to watch Harry more closely. At first he didn't see any difference in the boy. He was as annoying as ever. However, in the last couple of days Severus had begun to notice small things that didn't fit Harry's personality. For one thing, he caught the Gryffindor several times arguing quite heatedly with his friends. Presently Severus was walking down a corridor, enjoying the darkness of it when he heard voices from a classroom. He stopped and listened.

"I said I was fine ok! Just drop it," Harry's voice shot.

"Harry you look awful," Hermione retorted.

"Well I feel fine," the boy grumbled and stormed from the room, not noticing Severus lurking in the shadows.

Severus caught a glimpse of the boy as he passed. He really did look awful. He was ghastly pale, as if he'd not been out in the sun months. The Professor held his breath as Hermione and Ron rushed after their friend. Once the trio had disappeared around a corner, Severus let out a breath. His mind was racing as he strode back to his office. Once in the security of a closed and locked door, the vampire began to talk to himself.

"Get a grip. You're just overreacting," he told himself as he began to pace.

Severus' mind had automatically assumed the worst; that he was indeed close to turning the Boy-Who-Lived. He knew Alena was perceptive but she also liked to scare him, to keep him in line.

"There are million reasons he could look so bad. He could be getting ill as Miss Granger suggested," he continued, his hand resting on his chin.

"It was fairly poor lighting. That could be it," he suggested to himself hopefully as he heard a knock on the door.

"Come in," he called, stopping his pacing. The door opened and Minerva walked in.

"How can I help you Minerva?" he asked, hands in his pockets.

"Are you feeling alright Severus? I could have sworn you were talking to yourself just now," she commented, looking worriedly at her colleague.

"I...yes. A little sleep-deprived but otherwise I'm fine," Severus answered, addressing the first part of her comment.

"I was just um…well it was nothing really," he muttered awkwardly.

"I see," she said with a smile. Severus returned her smile, his eyes locking with hers.

"Dance with me," Snape whispered, taking her hand.

"There's no music," Minerva answered, looking dazed.

"We don't need any," Severus murmured, his eyes now flecked with silver. His colleague's eyes glazed over and Severus smiled, his fangs showing.

Severus wrapped his arms around her, humming lightly in her ear to help build a false memory. He pressed his lips to her neck, baring his teeth. He sank them in and sighed. He only took a small amount. It took only a few moments for Minerva to recover.

"Thank you," he purred in her ear.

She smiled back at him, squeezing his hand. He let her go, making sure she was ok. Hearing the door close behind her, he heaved a sigh of relief. That was almost too close for comfort. He tried to busy himself with work but Harry kept interrupting him. His mind was telling him to not just push this aside. That it wasn't just poor lightly or chance.

"Damn it," he growled. He would have to keep an even closer eye on Harry now.

The following morning, Harry awoke to find his bed curtains thrown wide open. The sun was pouring in. His body hurt and he had no idea why. He ran a hand over his arm and it felt warm, almost as if it was sunburned. He fumbled for his wand and managed to draw the curtains n the windows. With a groan he got out of bed and got dressed. Ron and Hermione had already gone down to breakfast so Harry had a solitary walk to the Great Hall. He reached Gryffindor table shortly and slid in-between his friends.

"How are you feeling Harry?" Hermione questioned after she swallowed a mouthful of pumpkin juice.

"Fine," he muttered, taking a biscuit and some sausage and putting it on his plate. He dug in, feeling extremely hungry.

"Did they put garlic butter on these?" Harry asked after he'd taken a bite of biscuit.

"I don't know," Ron muttered, sniffing his own biscuit.

"Smells like normal butter to me," the redhead stated with a shrug.

After breakfast, the trio headed to Transfiguration. Harry did his best to concentrate but his stomach felt unsettled. He managed to make it through the lesson but couldn't hold it much longer.

"I'll see you in class," he called to Ron and Hermione as he headed into the boy's bathroom.

Harry shuddered as his breakfast came back up. It was disgusting. He'd been right. It was garlic butter. Once he had stopped dry heaving he stood on shaking legs and flushed the toilet. He moved to the sink and splashed water on his face, conjured a cup and rinsed out his mouth. With one last look in the mirror he headed to class. He slipped in just as Severus was walking in the opposite door.

"You ok?" Hermione asked quietly as Harry sat down. Harry nodded.

"Is there something you wish to share with the class Miss Granger?" Snape asked from the front of the room.

"No Sir," she replied with a shake of her head.

With that Severus began the lesson. Unfortunately for Harry, it seemed his breakfast wasn't finished with him yet. Halfway through the class he stood up to cast a spell and collapsed. Severus did his best not to look too concerned for his pupil.

"Miss Granger. Mr. Weasley, take Mr. Potter to the Hospital Wing. The rest of you, continue what you were doing," he ordered.

Hermione and Ron levitated their unconscious classmate and exited the room. They walked silently up to the Hospital Wing, exchanging nervous glances. They filled madam Pomfrey in on what had happened and were quickly shooed away. When the mediwitch emerged, she was met with worried looks.

"He needs to rest," she told them curtly.

"What's wrong with him?" Hermione pressed.

"Possibly food poisoning or the flu. I'm not completely sure," Poppy answered.

Looking disappointed, the two Gryffindors left, Harry still asleep. Several hours later Hermione was on her way to see Harry when she was intercepted by none other than Professor Snape.

"And where are you going Miss Granger?' he questioned silkily.

"To see Harry," she answered.

"Tell Madam Pomfrey that when he wakes up and is deemed fit to leave, send him to my office," he told the girl.

"Yes Sir," she muttered and walked past her Professor.

After giving Madam Pomfrey the message, Hermione was permitted to see Harry. He didn't look much better but he was awake. She sat in a chair by his bed and leaned on her elbows.

"Hi," she said.

"Hi," he replied.

"You scared us earlier," she muttered, reaching out one hand to clasp his.

"I guess breakfast didn't agree with me. I sort of lied to you earlier. I wasn't ok. I'd just thrown up," Harry admitted.

"Harry I'd say that not agreeing with you is a bit of an understatement. I'd say breakfast was kicking your ass," Hermione retorted with a soft laugh.

"Yeah I guess it was," he muttered with a chuckle.

"Mr. Potter, are you feeling well enough to leave?" Madam Pomfrey called, sticking her head around the corner.

"I think so," he nodded and moved to get up. Hermione moved her chair back and offered her friend of six years her hand, pulling him up.

Harry had to steady himself but after that he seemed to be fine. He put on his glasses and ran a hand through his hair. He and Hermione began to walk towards the exit when the mediwitch stopped them.

"Mr. Potter," she called.

"Yes?"

"I've been given instructions that once you're fit to leave, which you are, you are to go see Professor Snape," she told the boy. Harry nodded and shot his friend a look.

"He probably wants to give me detention for passing out," he mused.

"Or to explain the second half of the lesson," Hermione proposed.

"Hermione. It's Snape we're talking about. He hates me. He wouldn't be that nice to get me caught up," Harry retorted.

"Well I suppose that's true. Well I'll see you back in the Common Room," Hermione said and bit farewell to her companion.

Harry trudged down to the dungeons, taking the longest way possible so he could avoid having to deal with the surly Professor. After a good ten minute hike around the dungeons, Harry arrived at the man's office door. He knocked, awaiting a response. One didn't come right away. He could swear he heard hushed voices one moment and then they were gone the next. He was very confused. Why was he all of a sudden so aware of garlic butter and hushed voices? He knocked again and this time the door was yanked open.

"Come in," Severus barked.

Harry entered and saw a woman he'd never seen before standing next to Snape's desk. He turned around, staring at Snape. Harry's eyes were glaring at the man, his usual emerald flecked with shards of gold. Severus averted his gaze and looked to the woman.

"Sit down Potter," Severus ordered. Harry sat.

"What's going on?" Harry asked, growing extremely nervous. His palms were beginning to sweat and felt a faint stinging sensation in his neck. He suddenly became very aware of how cramped the room felt and he could hear 3 distinct heartbeats.