Chapter 12

Hi everyone sorry for the delay, some of you have been Emailing asking where this next chapter was and I can only say events at home have had me preoccupied for the time being. Everything is sorted now and Chapter 13 and part of 14 are already written.

Thank you to: StarDuchess and Puzzle me this, for the work that went into this chapter.

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Shifting slightly in her dreams, Hermione rolled around in her bed. Her body jerked awake as the mattress dipped sharply, and instantly her wand was drawn. A soft whine echoed within the confines of her drapes, and she softly uttered a "Lumos." The soft grey muzzle of a wolf was instantly visible, its amber eyes wide, the pupils dilated from the bright light. A lock of ruffled black fur told her all she needed to know.

Hermione stretched her hand out towards the canine.

Gently she scratched the large, furred ear, feeling her heart squeeze as it whined again pitifully. Opening her warm bedcovers, she allowed the large animal to crawl in beside her, thankful that Harry was mindful of his sharp claws around her delicate body. Now was not the time to ask questions, they could wait until morning. Steadily she stroked the grey pelt, until Harry's breathing evened out into sleep.

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"Explain, Severus." Minerva's voice was sharp, like a cracked whip, and Severus knew he had to approach this topic sensitively. While Albus may have approved of their strange union, it was still against school rules and Severus doubted Minerva would approve of his bond to her golden Gryffindor.

"I have found myself in a relationship with Harry Potter," he stated simply, his voice filled with its usual amount of scorn and sarcasm. "If you will excuse me Minerva, I will be retiring now." He graced the older woman with a respectful inclination of the head, before turning to leave.

As expected, the door to her chambers flew shut with a fury of magic. Severus sighed and sat down on one of the sofas. If a professor was seeing one of his Slytherins he would be inclined to act the same way, however at this current moment in time, his only concern was Harry and where he had gone. Did the boy really mean it about not retuning?

Why did that affect Severus so much? He could actually feel icy cold dread climb up his body at the thought of the boy being unprotected in the castle. At least in his quarters he could keep an eye on his young mate. Immediately, Severus scolded himself. Hogwarts was a perfect safe haven; Harry was more than adequately protected here.

But what if there was a slight chance he wasn't?

"You have about thirty seconds to explain Professor Snape, before I change you into a rat and proceed to eat you." Minerva sat, eyes brimming with hostility.

"I am a werewolf, Minerva."

There was a sharp intake of breath and the hostility melted partially away. There was a slight pause as she contemplated his predicament.

"Oh that dreadful woman!" The Transfiguration professor rose to her feet and began pacing in front of her fire, heels clicking across the stone floor. "It's the Law, isn't it? Oh don't look at me so surprised, Severus. While I am not privy to all the information, I am aware that you and Albus are collaborating. I know he has a plan for Harry and it somehow involves you." She stopped pacing and walked to an oak cabinet in the corner of her room, where slender wine glasses stood. She picked up two and a bottle of red wine, and sat beside Severus.

He took the offering. Severus had mistaken this old woman to be less informed then she was. He had greatly underestimated her, which was a mistake he rarely made. His respect for his fellow professor increased, and he thought that just maybe he had found a confidant.

"Harry found Artemis a few months ago. That's what he calls the blasted beast," he added quickly at the look of shock in her face. "Now it will not answer to anything but that damned name." Severus whispered angrily. "The werewolf immediately latched onto something within the boy, and something within Harry responded to the back."

"A werewolf and its mate that's a complex and intricate bond," Minerva muttered quietly, while thinking she drank deeply from her wine, leaving a faint stain upon her thin lips.

"Immediately, I fought against the bond, even attempting to seal the werewolf away, but to no avail. It was Harry that came to me with the proposition of bonding, and Dumbledore forced the issue not me."

"He needs to keep you safe for something," Minerva caught on, realisation dawning on her face.

"Indeed." Severus emptied his full wine glass and didn't protest when she filled it up again. (Protect Mate) thundered through his head in Artemis's limited way of speaking. It might have only been two words, but to Severus, who shared a mind with the wolf, he knew it was referring to the fact that Severus wanted to protect Harry.

"I don't agree with the bonding. It's against the rules. It's inappropriate and it completely oversteps the bounds of a teacher and his or her student. The idea is quite frankly, Severus, disgusting."

Fury rose up into his throat, partly because of what she had said and partially because that was what he had originally thought himself. But then, Harry was not just a regular student. He was a man in a boy's body, shouldering the responsibility of the world on his slender shoulders.

A dull pain spread through his stomach as though a Hippogriff had plowed into him. Oh, sweet Merlin…it couldn't be.

Minerva held up a hand mistaking his silence for anger. "However, despite my feelings, I am not one to question Albus Dumbledore. He would not put a student at risk, especially not Harry. I will not stand in the way of a werewolf bond, Severus, interestingly enough knowing you I can deduce that you have not completed the bond. Oh, don't look so coy." She smiled at his expression.

"I've got life in these old eyes yet. I believe you to be a man of morals, Severus, and I have seen Harry looking pale and tired, a classic side effect of too much strain on a person's magic. His magic is sustaining him until the bond has been completely formed, then he will rely on your magic as well. Instead of helping him Severus, you are putting your young mate at risk. How do you expect him to defend himself, if all his magic is being used to sustain him?"

"He is at Hogwarts; he is safe here." Severus answered with Artemis echoing his words.

"Hogwarts, yes, I doubt that any of the students pose Harry much of a threat, but what about outside? It is not uncommon for Death Eaters to attack Hogsmead, or the area just outside Privet Drive."

Severus was silent with shock. Why hadn't he considered that? (Keep Mate in den.) Artemis answered, and for once Severus was in complete agreement. Harry had no reason to ever leave Hogwarts now that he was bonded. Except to fight the war and hunt for Horcruxes, his inner voice scolded him nastily.

"I have my morals, Minerva. I intend to keep them."

"Why? You're already part way to damnation for bonding with a student, why not fall all the way and enjoy yourself?" She told him with a slight smirk lifting the corners of her mouth.

Severus smiled at her. "Food for thought, my dear Minerva. May I just say that this is the best conversation I have held with someone for sometime now." Severus took a chance in being genuine, interested to see how the Head of Gryffindor would react.

"I am honored Severus. You are always welcome," she informed him warmly. "I hope Dumbledore trusts you enough to care for Harry's wellbeing," she asked, a slight bite back in her voice, "and that you will keep this relationship secret?"

"You can trust me."

Her blue eyes sparkled with concern before she nodded and looked away. "Damn Umbridge to Hell!" Minerva suddenly blurted out. "How can she even get away with this? That damn ministry does nothing but cause trouble for good people. They spark fear into the hearts of the Wizarding community when they should be educating them. They will drive the werewolves straight to You-Know-Who."

Casually Severus flicked his hand over towards the dying fire and it roared back into life.

She looked down into her wrinkled hands. "Remus Lupin was one of the most gifted students I ever taught, similar in fact to Hermione Granger. If it hadn't been for James Potter supporting him finically, I dread to think what would have happened to him."

Severus resisted the urge to snap his wine glass. So Potter had given the werewolf charity, how quaint. Severus refused to acknowledge that it was in fact quite an honorable thing to do, and one he could see Harry doing for his friends.

"Well of course you must have seen the scar on the back of poor Harry's hand," Minerva carried on.

"What scar?"

"That infernal woman made Harry sit detention, with a blood quill. He was made to write over and over again, "'I must not tell lies,'" until it scared into his hand."

Severus rose to his feet and flung his glass into the fireplace. An image of Harry rubbing the back of his hand suddenly surfaced. "When all this is over I will personally see to Dolores Umbridge." Severus growled with animalistic undertones.

"So just how was it you became a werewolf, Severus? I never heard of any attacks in the last year or two, and you're not exhibiting any scars."

Severus sat back down and looked at his fellow professor gravely. "My infection happened like this…"

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Severus looked around wildly, dark hair whipping around his face. Blast the Dark Lord for putting him in this situation. He was lost somewhere deep within a forest with no chance of getting back to the safe house. Fleetingly Severus thought that the whole mission might have been a trap so the Dark Lord could kill him once and for all.

It had been a raid on some member within the Ministry of Magic, the instructions had been vague as Severus was not told any details. Greyback had been in charge, that mangy, flea-bitten coward, and Severus had done nothing but stun members of the light as he tried desperately to salvage some information to take back to Dumbledore.

When the tide had turned in the favor of the Death Eaters, they had been too arrogant to notice that the full moon had begun to rise and that Greyback had transformed into that terrifying alter ego of his. Unable to distinguish friend from foe, the werewolf had begun tearing into anyone near him, so everyone had fled the scene. Stray curses were fired, one lacerating Severus's calf.

Now here he was in the forest, cut off from the Death Eaters and lost. His wound was dripping with blood, slowly draining his life force from him. His wand was useless as his magic focused on keeping him alive, making apparition out of the question.

His robes were torn from battle, his face cut and bruised, and his mouth parched with thirst. Severus Snape was going to die.

Unwilling to move any further, Severus sat against the trunk of a tree, feeling the rough bark through his torn clothes. Was this how it was going to end? Severus doubted the light would find another such as he – he, who had been deemed coward by many, who risked his life to undo the wrong he had once committed.

Severus wrapped his arms around himself in an effort to keep warm. He needed to find water but his body was uncooperative. All he could think about was Lily Evans, and how he had betrayed the only friend he once had on a misguided quest for power. He was to blame for her death, and he still hadn't fixed the damage he had caused.

Her son was still his responsibility. The Dark Lord was not going to murder the only thing he had left of her. She would have wanted Severus to keep her child safe, and Severus would fulfill that wish until his body gave up on him. Here, all alone in the wild with only the night creatures to keep him company he didn't need to pretend he hated the boy.

Disliked him, perhaps, but there was a grudging respect somewhere within his body. No Severus was not going to die here and leave his best friend's son unprotected. Harry needed protection from Voldemort and Dumbledore, both of which were using him.

Out of the corner of his eye he noticed a reflection of light on the ground, which might have meant a puddle of water was nearby. Pulling himself up, ignoring his screaming, protesting muscles, Severus limped over to the spark of light. He laughed in relief; it was a puddle filled with water. Dignity aside, he flung himself to the muddy floor and touched his lips to the life liquid. This would prolong his suffering, but it would give someone the chance to find him alive.

Drinking until mud entered his mouth, Severus gasped and rolled onto his back. Looking up at the fathomless sky, he waited for the pain to subside. The rustling of leaves above began to irritate him, and Severus wondered why it was suddenly so loud. Within his chest his heart began to race and his skin began to feel sweaty.

A powerful howling ripped across the noise, and Severus sat up alarmed. Next to him, devoid of water was a paw print he had mistakenly thought was a normal puddle. Within his head an alarm bell began to ring. Surely not. He had been that idiotic? Blinded by his mistakes of the past and filled with the insatiable urge to live so he could save Harry Potter, Severus had allowed his guard to drop.

Within his body his blood began to burn and his muscles became alight with pain. Flipping onto his side so he could devoid his stomach did not help as his bones began to creak and bend. Opening his mouth to give voice to his pain, Severus was helpless within agony's grasp as his body melded and conformed to shapes he had never thought possible.

His hands began to gnarl and curl inwards, claws bursting from the ends of his fingertips. Black fur sprouted from the back of his hands and crept up the length of his arms. Severus's jaw was forced open as fangs distended and his mouth was forced to accommodate them, warping and stretching.

Severus's spinal column curled over, forcing him to his hands and feet and his screams of pain morphed into inhuman snarls.

Then it was done.

The large, black werewolf shook himself and sniffed the ground. It smelt the trail of another of its kind. The wolf placed its own larger paw over the paw print of its breathen, warning it not to come near. Satisfied with its handiwork, the wolf reared back its head and howled, long and deep into the night. With a powerful push from its hind legs, it ran towards its territory.

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"Drinking water from a werewolf paw, I didn't think that was possible. I thought it to be a myth with which we scared children." McGonagall whispered. She looked off into space thoughtfully for a few moments, before rising and getting Severus another glass.

"It seems more research into the subject is needed." Severus accepted the glass. "Not only am I infected with this infernal beast, it doesn't seem to fit the perimeters of what I understand a werewolf to be." Severus drank deeply.

"Whatever do you mean, Severus?"

"Artemis is proportionally bigger than most Werewolves; every full moon it retains its full mind it is not subdued by the Wolfsbane potion." He raised a pale hand at the older woman's look of shock. "Artemis is not interested in humans, until Potter came along that is."

Minerva rose and pulled out yet another bottle of wine. "How do you feel about this, Severus?" she asked quietly.

"He is James's son," Severus whispered, alcohol loosening his tongue.

"You do not still harbor a grudge, surely, Severus. I know neither of you were amicable during your school years, but Harry is nothing like his father. They share courage and ambition yes, but Harry has always been a more thoughtful boy."

"But where was my choice!" Severus rose, pacing the floor angrily. "Imagine for one moment that your body was taken over for a night! Then, in order to protect yourself you have to bond with someone and that someone was the son of your enemy. Minerva, how would you perceive Trelawney's son to behave?"

"I would hazard a guess that, if she indeed had a son, he would be just as crazy as his mother to be." Her eyebrows furrowed with the question. "Not a child I would ever like to meet."

"Can you imagine what it would be like? In order to save yourself you had to bond with him!" Severus sat down ungracefully next to her. "He's only a child." Severus moaned, holding his head in his hands. "A child that I cannot remove from my head. Every fiber of my being screams at me to consummate the bond, to protect him."

"Harry Potter was never a child, Severus. While I cannot approve of a relationship of this nature, I cannot deny what I see. You have always protected that boy, for what reasons I am not aware. I saw you earlier with each other Severus, you care for the boy."

Severus said nothing.

"You are harming him more by not completing the bond. Dumbledore would not have allowed this union if he did not approve, and I might be an old fool Severus but he would have known what that entails. You are a teacher and his teacher, but you are also Artemis. You cannot fight against a bond of that nature and it pointless to carry on doing so." She placed a hand on his arm, surprised when he didn't flinch away. "You are a man of morals, Severus, and you can still continue to be so, by committing yourself fully to your bond as you promised to do so when you bonded. That takes more courage and morality then avoiding the situation."

Severus rose abruptly, his arms folded. He placed his wine glass down with force indicating the conversation was over.

"My door is always open, Severus. However, if you ever hurt him, I will turn you into a rat," she warned him once again.

Severus could feel the corners of his mouth twitch despite the fact she was being serious.

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"Do you want to talk about it?" Hermione's whispered voice floated down to where he was lying in the grass. Harry kept his eyes firmly shut trying to ignore everything that had happened. He had half expected Snape to come drag him out of Gryffindor tower.

Currently, they were sitting out in the grounds. It was only mid afternoon and the sun was weak in the sky. Hermione had already visited Ron in the Infirmary while Harry in wolf form had waited upon her bed. Ron was not due to be released until tomorrow, which meant Harry had Hermione's undivided attention.

"He's hiding something from me," Harry muttered, furious green eyes staring up at her face.

"When has Severus Snape not hid something from you?" Hermione countered thoughtfully, wrapping her coat more firmly around her body.

"This time it's different." Harry sat up in the grass and looked towards the lake. "I think Malfoy is up to something regarding the Headmaster. I know Snape is involved."

"Have you thought, that maybe it's something to do with the Order and Snape cannot tell you?"

"But what if we were right all along and Snape is in fact still working for Voldemort?"

Hermione sighed and moved closer to Harry. "Harry, you wouldn't have bonded with Professor Snape if you thought he was evil. Dumbledore wouldn't have allowed it if he thought there was the slightest chance Snape couldn't be trusted. You are now the closest thing to family he's ever going to get; no one apart from you can read his moods and access his magic."

Harry scowled angrily. Hermione was right. If Snape was truly trying to kill Dumbledore, he would have done so by now, and Harry would have seen his intentions. There was still the feeling that he was in the dark about something big, though.

Hermione sighed and Harry quickly tried to mask his features into a neutral expression. "I'm a little worried about you." Her voice was filled with concern, surprising him. He had fully expected Hermione to keep on at him about Snape's good points.

Harry sat up so they were eye level. "Why?"

"You've been bonded a few months now and you haven't consummated the relationship. I know you're strong Harry, but it isn't healthy for either of you to stay away from each other like this. Your magic might be sustaining you for now, but for how much longer? What happens if you cannot defend yourself? Or you can't transform back?" Hermione's brown eyes were wide with worry, forcing Harry to finally think on the subject he had been avoiding.

He and Hermione had never talked about sex or people they fancied. They never spoke about her feelings for Ron, or Harry's lack of romantic partners. It was just an unspeakable truce that hung between them. "It's not me that's opposed; it's Snape," Harry forced out from gritted teeth.

"I was the one who approached him about the bonding; it was me that was interested in saving the both of them. Snape once told me he could never get hard with me as a sexual partner. The first time the bond…made us do things…," Harry struggled with the words, feeling his face flush, "he pushed me away and told me at least he could control his desires."

Hermione said nothing, yet the telltale pink blush revealed lots. "I'm sorry. This is a hard subject," Harry muttered, content to drop it and ignore it as always.

"Harry Potter, don't you dare stop now. You need to talk about it, and you need someone to help you. What sort of friend can't talk about intimacy issues?" Hermione smiled a hint of a laugh in her voice.

"After another one of Artemis's transformations, I had to help Snape back into bed. It was the first time I had seen him naked….and I wasn't shocked by it."

"Sounds to me like you're attracted to our greasy Potion's master." Hermione playfully pushed his shoulder.

Harry's green eyes widened, before narrowing thoughtfully. He supposed he should have been disgusted by this revelation, but no feelings of repulsion were felt. "One night I was studying by the fire and it was Snape that initiated something. We started off arguing, which usually makes the bond react by forcing us together. However it was different somehow."

Harry paused trying to find the right words. "It was as if both of us were in our right minds for once. It was calmer, and I couldn't take it, I ran off."

"Oh, Harry, why?"

"It scared me in a way, and I don't want Snape to regret it. He's already said he doesn't want me, how do I know it's not the bond making him do it?"

"It might be. Has Professor Snape acted any differently with you since then?"

"What does that have to do with anything?""

Hermione sighed and rolled her eyes. "Harry, Severus Snape is a man of his morals. He's not going to jump into bed with a student; it goes against everything teachers stand for. However, if he were, to, say develop feelings for you, that might change."

"He started spending time with me in the evenings," Harry reluctantly told her.

Hermione resisted the urge to hit her friend. Honestly, why did men have to make everything so complicated? It was clear to her that both were beginning to develop feelings, yet here they were both skirting around the subject. Eventually, the bond was going to cause harm to one of them. It sounded to her like the bond was getting stronger; it was only a matter of time before one of them snapped.

"Harry, you have to trust that Snape has your best interests at heart. I honestly believe that. He might be hiding something from you, but you don't know that he hasn't been ordered to. What if it's a secret plan involving You-Know-Who?"

Harry hung his head, still silently angry at the man, but at least he was willing to listen to her. "You can't sleep on my bed every night; you need to speak to him about it."

"That's not going to happen. Snape and I don't talk about anything."

"Then maybe this is the time to start?" Hermione noticed that Harry was beginning to withdraw in on himself. This conversation was practically over in his mind. She stood, gesturing with her hand. "Come on, it will be dinner soon. You need to keep your strength up."

"I'm not going. What if he's there?" Harry sulked.

"So what? Don't look at him. Talk to your friends. You're going to see him sooner or later Harry, either in your chambers or in a lesson." She pulled her reluctant friend to his feet. Hermione started a brand new topic, marching Harry back to the castle. "I was thinking we need to give your wolf a name."

"I can't think of one." Harry was clearly not playing game.

"I was thinking along your lines of Gods and Goddess's." Hermione continued brightly, ignoring Harry's stormy face. "I came up with Apollo, you know, the twin to Artemis. What do you think?"

Harry rammed his hands into his pockets, despite Hermione's arm linked around his. Defeated, he looked at her. "Sounds like a possibility. I quite like it."

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Severus entered his chamber quietly. He was a little worse for wear after the bottles of wine he and Minerva had consumed, and he didn't want Harry to see him like this. Severus didn't believe for one second that Harry would not return to his rooms, so he was aghast to see that his living room was empty.

Artemis was strangely silent within his head, and Severus was aware of just how alone he was. He had finally done it; he had finally driven Harry away. Sadly, he sat on the couch and stared into the empty fireplace. The silence pressed around him, and the only thing he could hear was his rapidly growing heartbeat.

Harry would come back surely? They were bonded. He just needed time to cool down. Severus rose and retired to his bed, trying not to think about how much Harry's disappearance was bothering him.

Especially now that he was aware of his feelings, and had his morals realigned.

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Snape hadn't even been at dinner. Harry found himself raging as he walked along the corridors, killing time until curfew. He must have realized that Harry hadn't returned last night. Was he not even a little bit curious to see him at dinner?

Harry had noticed that his hearing had sharpened with his Animagus form as had his sense of smell. The only thing that hadn't improved was his vision. As Harry walked past a bathroom, he was certain he could hear Myrtle speaking to someone who was clearly distraught. His more sympathetic nature kicked in and he wanted to know if he could help.

It was a well known fact among the students at Hogwarts that you avoided this bathroom at all costs. Not only did Myrtle haunt the place, but she liked to spend her life clogging the pipes.

But it was defiantly a guy's voice Harry could hear talking, and it was a girls' bathroom. He had no reason to be in there. The only reason Harry had ever entered a girls bathroom was because of the polyjuice incident and it also served as the only entrance to the Chamber of Secrets.

Harry was suddenly seized with the fear that it might be some younger year trying to find the chamber and Harry pushed open the door.

The sobbing was louder in here, punctuated with painful gasps and moans. Instantly, Harry's wand was out as he searched the gloomy bathroom. It sounded like someone was hurt. Damn those reckless young students. He called out a greeting, asking the injured student where they were, but all he received in return was a long drawn out breath before the person remained silent.

Treading carefully around the puddles, Harry looked around the stalls. The gloom wasn't helping him, and he found himself cursing his glasses.

"Hello!" He shouted out experimentally. All he heard was the sound of his echo vibrating through the room. Even Myrtle was silent. Harry pulled out his wand and crept further into the dingy room. After a few footsteps he saw the outline of someone near the mirrors.

On the side of caution he waited until Draco Malfoy's face came into view.

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Artemis was currently curled up within his host's mind. If he so desired he could view the outside world through the cruel black eyes of his host, but he had seen enough recently. The werewolf was coming to the conclusion that his host would never accept his mate.

Try as he might, Artemis just didn't understand the complex emotions running through the cold human's head. Attraction was there as well as protection, but the host was also concealing a secret, one that was hurting his mate.

Now his mate doubted them and had run away. Artemis huffed within the darkness. His host was upset, more than Artemis had ever thought possible, yet Artemis had enough of him. He burrowed deeper into their joined sub consciousness.

Here he could sense his mate's magic, powerful and golden, and almost as blinding as the moon. The wolf curled up near it, content for the moment. He could stay here until it was his time. Yawning loudly, hearing his massive jaw creak, Artemis prepared to sleep. As he was drifting away, his breathing deepening, his large dark ears pricked up in alarm.

Something was wrong.

His amber eyes snapped open and he looked towards the blinding ribbon that was his mate, entwined with his own magical signature and that of his host. The wolf waited, aware that the host was also alarmed.

After a few tense seconds the magic quivered again making Artemis snarl. His mate was in danger. Power surged through the beast as he attempted to free himself of the mental restraints, hardly noticing that the host was releasing his hold on him.

"What is happening?" the host whispered across their link.

"Mate in trouble," Artemis growled, furious at how sluggish his host was being. Looking through the dark eyes he noticed once again just how limited humans were. His host immediately rose out of his sleeping position.

"You will assist me in locating him."

Artemis was stunned. Never before had he and his host worked together. They may have shared the same mind, but his host had always held a mental bind over the wolf, restricting his actions. The wolf basked in a rare moment of elation before allowing their minds to merge.

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Harry tried to walk away, but his legs were rooted to the spot. The boy looked like a ghoul in the mirror, deathly pale with dark shadows under his eyes. He had been crying; the twin wet trails down the side of his cheeks were evidence of that. He wanted to speak, to ask Malfoy what was wrong, as well as millions of other questions, but his voice was mute.

"What's the matter, Potter? Dragon got your tongue?" Malfoy snarled at him, moving menacingly round the sinks.

Harry was transfixed. Once again Snape echoed in his mind. "You will not speak to him, or follow him." Harry had to get out of here. Eventually the signal reached his feet and he began to back away towards the door. "Precious Potter, who has no idea about the real world." Malfoy carried on spitting his words at him, advancing on him like a predator.

What had gotten into the Slytherin? This was not the school bully he knew, but a frightened animal, cornered into lashing out. Harry moved around the back of the stalls to put some space between the two of them, he had the feeling this was not some school rivalry they were dealing with.

Harry opened his mouth to speak, in an attempt to calm the frantic boy down, but no words were uttered. "Snape!" Harry hissed angrily. Was this the plan? Cut of Harry's defences and let him get murdered in Hogwarts? Harry felt along the bond until he came into contact with the violet pulsating strand that was Snape.

No, Snape did not want him dead. Harry was sure of it. Snape needed him alive. Harry tugged at the bond with his own magic until he could feel Artemis start to respond. Hopefully the stubborn man would listen to his werewolf for once. Harry was aware of Malfoy still babbling, throwing curses at the wooden stalls. Using stealth he crept away from the boy, attempting to get closer to the door.

"You hide here in your castle, protected by Dumbledore, while the rest of us fight for our families," Malfoy suddenly screamed.

Harry stopped. Bristling with anger, he left the safety of the stalls and faced his deranged classmate.

"Oh touched a nerve have I? One day your world will crumble around you, just like you caused mine to do, and I, Draco, will watch you suffer. Crucio!"

Harry's reflexes were as amazing as always. He pulled his wand up fast enough to form a shield, but for the first time in years, his magic failed him. All he could do was watch in horror as the light from the curse sped towards him.

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Severus hurried down the corridors, all his restraint being used not to run. Thankfully the castle was relatively empty, it being an hour before curfew. He could feel his body break into a cold sweat as Harry's side of the bond became more distressed. Severus could actually feel what the boy was feeling as if they were his own emotions. His heart began to pound as Severus felt a fear unlike one he had ever felt.

Why hadn't Harry returned? Why had Severus not at least looked for him? His damn foolish pride had prevented it and now here he was. Harry was in jeopardy because of Severus's stubbornness. (Calm yourself. We will find him.) Artemis's gruff voice cut across his panic. (I assured Dumbledore I would be responsible for his safety.) Severus snarled in return.

(The elder?) Artemis questioned. (You do not worry because of him. You worry because he is our mate. Turn) Severus turned on command, noticing Harry's lingering scent in the hallway, thanks to Artemis's heightened sense of smell. He recognized this corridor about the same time Artemis recognized it from his memories. (Not safe, large snakes.)

Severus picked up his pace, still the epitome of the calm Potions professor, but one who was on a clear mission. Surely Harry was not seeking solace in that blasted chamber? His robes billowed around him as Artemis gave him a boost of his own magical signature.

Once again they acknowledged the extra scent at the same time. Draco. Dread trickled into his stomach. "Even if he starts it?" echoed Harry's voice. "Even if he pummels you into the ground."

Severus schooled his expression and blasted open the bathroom door.

There was Ha Harry, screaming and writhing on the floor, with Draco standing above him.

"Draco, desist this instance," Severus bellowed, thanking his iron grip on his temper. Artemis was howling for blood, trying to use their new found closeness to rip out the boy's throat. Severus curled his hands into fists within the confines of his robe, as far away from his wand as possible.

Shaken, Draco called off the spell, and his arm hung limp at his side.

"Just what do you think you are doing?" Severus asked quietly, scaring his student even more. "Why, it looks to me that you are playing at being a Death Eater." Severus stalked around the boy. The air was rank with Draco's fear. "You are more dim-witted than I believed you to be, attacking Potter under Dumbledore's watch, with an Unforgivable!" The doors of the stalls flew open with the wrath of his words, yet Severus paid it no mind as he grabbed the pale boy's forearm in a vice grip.

The boy, no child, winced, and Severus grasped it tighter. "Idiot boy! I promised your mother I would watch over you, but I cannot protect you from this." Severus flung the offending boy away from him. "You have sealed our fate. The castle is warded in such a way that Unforgivables automatically send up an alarm. You'll be lucky if you escape this room without a barrage of Auror's bearing down on you."

"Potter started it; he flung the first curse, Professor. I only cast Crucio out of self defence!" Draco stuttered, glancing over at his victim.

"How long will you be willing to stick to that with a Dementor hovering over you?" Severus hissed.

"Professor, we both know the Dark Lord has the Dementors and the Ministry working for him."

Severus really wanted nothing more than to kill this boy. He was nothing more than a burden. "The Dark Lord wants Potter for himself. He will hear of this unpleasant incident and seek you out. Leave. I will attempt to clear up your mess, then I will summon you later." Severus could still hear Artemis growling and his fingers twitched involuntarily.

Draco looked up at his most trusted professor with alarm. Severus had no time for this; Harry was still breathing which was all Severus could determine from here. He had been keeping an eye on Harry during his conflict with Draco, but he needed medical attention.

Bewildered Draco looked around before rushing from the bathroom. Severus had to wait agonizing minutes before he was finally able to cast a locking charm upon the door and rush over to Harry.

Severus had seen dead bodies, both intact and mutilated. He had seen victims of Death Eaters, Muggles tortured to death and fallen comrades, and always he approached them with the same stony expression, unwilling to feel anything for a lifeless corpse. Not even that had made him feel horror like he was experiencing now.

His eyes probed Harry's body, accessing the damage. Ragged gasps were the only sound in the room and they weren't coming from Harry. A trembling hand checked his mate's pulse, causing him to shudder with relief when he found a strong steady one. Severus forced his breathing to quieten, so he could attempt to hear Harry's quiet breaths.

He had done this.

Severus had taken Harry's only defence, leaving him vulnerable. He had not listened when Harry had said Draco started fights. His mate had been unable to defend himself and he hadn't called for help from Severus. His unconscious mind had sought out the werewolf as if knowing Severus would not help.

He had made Harry promise not to defend himself against the Slytherin, unwillingly forming an unbreakable bond between them. Yet what if it had been a Death Eater attack? Harry's magic was beginning to falter due to the large amount of strain the bond was placing on them to consummate. Crucio was agonizing yes, but the victim should not have lost consciousness like this.

He gingerly lifted the boy into his arms, burying his long nose into Harry's neck. He inhaled deeply to reassure both himself and the wolf. The musky scent of Harry melted away some of the furious rage he was feeling. Opening his eyes, he pulled back and looked at the boy's face. Harry's olive skin looked pale and sickly, his lips devoid of there usual rosy colour. Severus leant down and gently brushed those lips with his own.

Harry would not leave his sight again.