1. Effluvia
A/N: A little story set 2 years after the Second Wizarding War- ENJOY!
It was at that moment that Severus Snape knew, he f-ked up. He never should've eaten or drank ANYTHING at the head table that morning, because now it hurt to walk, and Severus could feel liquid rising up in his throat. His tongue darted out discreetly to lick away the blood trickling from his mouth. He stopped again at the doors to the dungeons, leaning on them heavily. How could he last through class like this? Severus had to get himself together. And he did, striding towards the potions classroom...
Dennis Creevey couldn't concentrate. He was hyperactive and not suited for the quiet, precise art that is potions, or what he felt Snape would say when he failed. But that wasn't the reason. He kept staring at Snape, who was acting...weirdly. He kept swallowing while he spoke, and there were dark circles under his eyes. Dennis tried to concentrate on the Draught of Peace that they were working on today, when Snape seemed to appear right beside him. "I thought today's assignment was a Draught of Peace, not a Draught of...stink?" Severus sneered, his hooked nose wrinkling. Even without Snape's enhanced sense of smell Dennis could tell that he had epicly failed. The poop-scented smoke filling the classroom made everyone cough and gag, even Snape, who clapped a hand to his mouth as he vanished Dennis' potion.
Not AGAIN. The dunderhead Dennis Creevey had again failed his Draught of peace, since he was so interested in Severus instead, for some reason. The smoke attacked his already sensitive throat, making Severus cough. He could feel blood splatter his sleeve as he did so; Severus tried to get a grip, but his traitorous body couldn't hold it in any longer...
The next few seconds happened in slow motion. Dennis heard Snape announce detention for him; them he stumbled; and fell, unconscious, landing in a sickening thud on the floor. Dennis could see blood trickling from the corners of his mouth...ew...
To say that Severus felt bad was an understatement. His brain felt like the only 'alive' part of his body; he rasped and gurgled when he tried to speak; and there was this strange pain that was spreading up him. "Hh-Wh-" Severus tried to ask what happened. "There there. Don't try to speak." Madam Pomfrey tried to comfort Severus. But he was much too tired even for that. With a sigh, Severus fell asleep.
Strike One. Two. Three. Suddenly Severus wasn't in the hospital wing anymore, but back in the Shrieking Shack... Nagini ripped into his throat like a dog onto its prey... Severus shrieked, as the snake killed him, and turned into...Madam Pomfrey? He blinked, the dream disappearing, to be replaced by the Hospital Wing. "Is it another nightmare, Severus?" She asked in that grossly gentle tone. Severus seemed to know what poisoned him. "N-na-g" He gasped-coughed- sending blood streaming onto the bedsheets. Madam Pomfrey seemed to realize. Once he had stopped coughing she cleaned the sheets by magic; and tipped the bottle of Blood-Replenishing potion down Severus' gasping mouth; he seemed to quiet down. She snuck in a Dreamless Sleep potion after that, watching the professor drift back into slumber.
The next day
The news wasn't surprising to the students, not even the graveness of McGonagall's voice at breakfast. Professor Snape's health had been in bad shape since Nagini's attack; they could often hear the hoarseness of his voice; how he winced when he talked too much; how he seemed to get exhausted WAY too easily. Nonetheless, chatter broke out among the four House tables. Some said Snape had finally lost it; some thought it was some Death Eater-ish underhand plan to poison him; some stayed quiet. But as the students were gossiping, blissfully unaware of Severus' actual condition, he was struggling just to get by.
Severus couldn't swallow. And he hated the magical catheter that was inserted down his throat feeding him, like an invalid. Severus WAS one after all, but that didn't mean he liked it. Little did Severus know, things were about to get worse...
TBC, for now...