Disclaimer: Not mine

A/N: This chapter contains minor elements that some people could consider gore. I wouldn't, but I don't want to offend anyone, so I am giving a warning just in case.

Chapter Forty-Six: Erasing the Dark Mark

Snape had been known as a spy for two and a half months when Voldemort found a way to get his revenge. Severus was teaching a class of third years when his mark suddenly burned worse than it ever had before. He dismissed the class, but was unable to get to his office where he kept his potions capable of relieving some of his pain. He collapsed onto the floor, where he threw up before passing out.

Snape was not found for over an hour. The students he had been teaching hated him, so they did not feel the need to inform anyone that there was something wrong with the professor. It wasn't until another group showed up for class after lunch that he was discovered.

Ginny was in the class that found him. She rushed to the hospital wing and returned with Madam Pomfrey. The mediwitch rushed back to the hospital with Severus. She was able to revive him, but he was very weak.

Albus arrived as soon as word reached him of his Potion Master's condition.

"Severus, what happened?" he asked.

"The mark." he muttered with difficulty.

Madam Pomfrey rolled his sleeve covering the Dark Mark up and gasped. Severus' entire arm was red, but the part surrounding the mark had been bleeding. No one noticed before due to the black robes Snape was wearing.

As they looked at the mark, another surge of pain swept through Severus. He grunted and almost lost consciousness again. Madam Pomfrey gave him a pain reducing potion and spread cream on his arm to numb it. She then gave him a Dreamless Sleep potion.

"What are we going to do?" Poppy asked Albus.

"I do not know. I and the other professors will begin researching ways to remove the mark."

"You are aware that Severus has already researched this topic thoroughly? He has never found a way."

"There may still be hope." Albus answered, though secretly he was very concerned.

The trio heard rumors that Snape was in the hospital wing again. They, naturally, assumed that he had once again tried to commit suicide. That was what led them to burst into the headmaster's office after dinner.

"What happened to Snape?" Harry demanded.

"Is Professor Snape all right?" Hermione asked, taking time to glance at Harry as she admonished him over his lack of using Severus' title.

"He is not well." Albus answered.

"Why did he try to kill himself again?" Ron asked.

"He didn't." Albus explained. "Voldemort has found a way to cause him pain through the mark. Professor Snape is being punished for betraying him."

Hermione gasped. All three of the students looked horrified at the thought of being completely at Voldemort's mercy.

"What are you doing to stop it?" Harry asked. He knew all too well the kind of anguish Voldemort was capable of producing, even from miles away.

"We are researching what can be done. Right now, we do not have a clear answer."

"There's nothing you can do?" Ron asked.

"I am afraid that is correct." Albus answered.

"We'll help research too." Hermione said. Harry nodded, as did Ron, though he was much more reluctant than his friends.

Albus wrote them a pass to the restricted section and warned them not to abuse it. He was hesitant to give any student an open pass to that part of the library, but he trusted these three not to do anything foolish. They were reliable; if anyone had a chance of figuring out a way, it was them.

The trio spent all their spare time in the library. It was not until two weeks later, the end of March, that they found their answer. The only problem in the plan was that Harry's magic would have to be more powerful than Voldemort's and that was debatable.

"Will this really work?" Ron asked.

"It should, I think." Hermione answered. "Harry, remind me again what Professor Dumbledore told you last year about how love is your greatest defence against Voldemort.

Harry rehashed all that had been said on the subject the night he learned of the prophecy. Hermione listened intently.

"I think it should work." she said again. "Let's go."

Harry, Ron, and Hermione rushed to the hospital wing. As they entered, they could hear cries of anguish.

"Just cut my bloody arm off, I beg you." whimpered Snape.

Albus and Minerva were standing around the other professor as Madam Pomfrey poured more potions down his throat. They glanced at the students; all eyes seemed to fall on the book Hermione was carrying.

Harry quickly took off his robes and rolled up his sleeve. Without a word, he picked up the jar of numbing cream he had seen the mediwitch use so frequently over the past fortnight. He rubbed a generous amount onto his own arm.

Hermione had transfigued a quill into a rather sharp knife. All the adults watched in morbid fascination as Harry took the knife from her.

Ron had opened up the book to a middle section and propped it up on Snape's bedside cabinet.

"Are you sure your arm is numb enough?" Hermione asked.

Harry pressed the knife gently to his skin. He felt nothing but a light tickling sensation. He nodded and proceeded to make a fairly deep cut on his arm. Minerva and Poppy gasped as blood began to fall.

Harry moved to Severus and let the blood drip onto the mark. He glanced at the book and began a very complicated chant in Latin. When the mark was completely covered in blood, he took his wand and muttered a word backwards. Snape began to scream as pain once again flooded him. It did not last long, however. Hermione muttered a healing charm on Harry's arm and gave him a towel to wipe away the blood. A second towel was passed to Ron, who grudgingly wiped Severus' arm clean. As the blood was removed, all four adults gasped. The Dark Mark was completely gone.

Severus looked up, shocked. "How?" he asked.

Hermione launched into her textbook answer. "Harry is charmed with his mother's love. That's why Voldemort can't possess him; he is too full of love. So full, in fact, that it is embedded in his blood. Since Voldemort can not stand this, it was safe reasoning that not even his mark of evil would be able to withstand it. The Latin he said was an ancient rite to ward off evil and the other thing he said was 'Morsmordre' backwards."

"That is quite impressive." Minerva gushed. "One hundred-"

"Wait." said Severus, still shocked. He knew that Minerva was about to give points to Gryffindor. He looked at Hermione, then Ron, and lastly, Harry. "One hundred points to Gryffindor."

All three gasped. Snape had never given points to their house before.

"What?" Severus asked. "There has to be a first time for everything. I can think of no better reason. Th- thank you all."

The trio beamed.

"Why don't we leave Professor Snape to rest?" suggested Albus.

Everyone filed out with the assurance from Madam Pomfrey that Snape would soon be allowed to leave the hospital. It would not take him long to improve now, for his pain was gone. Before Harry was permitted to go, the mediwitch shoved a vial toward him.

"It's a Blood Replenishing potion, Potter. Drink it."

Harry quickly swallowed the contents and left with his friends and professors.

"That was a very noble thing you did, Harry." Albus said as they walked down the corridor.

"I couldn't just let him suffer, no matter what our differences have been."

"And that, dear boy, is why you should never question the fact that you are very different from Tom Riddle." Albus responded.

Somewhere a hundred miles away, Voldemort sent another wave of pain to Severus. This time, it seemed to bounce back onto Wormtail, who he had been using to transfer the magic. Wormtail writhed in pain.

"What the bloody hell?" spat Voldemort. He tried again with the same result.

"Please, My Lord." begged Peter.

Voldemort summoned Lucius and Bellatrix. He explained what was going on and then did a demonstration.

"How is this possible?" he demanded of his most faithful supporters.

"I do not know, My Lord." Lucius said.

"Crucio."

Lucius was held under the curse for a fulltwo minutes. When it eased, Voldemort turned to Bellatrix and asked her the same question.

"The mark must be inactive; either that, or missing." she answered.

"How would this be possible. The mark is permanent."

"I do not know, My Lord." she answered softly, already knowing what was coming.

"Crucio." Voldemort said again.

A/N: Thanks to all my reviewers. Lots of love to you all. So, what do you think of this chapter? I know a lot of you probably weren't thrilled with the Snape torture, but he will never feel it again. Yay Snape. So at least it served a purpose. Please review:)