The Houses Competition (or THC) Round Five: Burning Up

House: Slytherin

Class: Muggle Studies

Category: Drabble: 500-1000 words, worth up to 10 points.

Choose one prompt: [Location] A pond, ([Weather] Humidity)

Word Count: 1,078

Disclaimers/triggers: Hints of freezing/lack of air

Based on HP7, "The Silver Doe"; the words "conditions of need and valour" taken from HP7, "The Prince's Tales"

Beta Love: StoryPlease, Charlie9646 - Thanks to my teammates for looking over my story!

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CONDITIONS OF NEED AND VALOUR

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It was a dark and cold night; storm clouds were hiding the stars, determined to drown all of the earth in snow. Severus tucked his heavy robe tighter, desperately wishing for a heating charm.

He treaded carefully, intending to leave no tracks if it was at all possible.

"Do you plan to reach them any time soon, Headmaster?" The dry voice of the painting tucked in his robe pocket asked him snidely. "Or do you want to go even slower in the hopes of missing them altogether?"

Severus glared into the darkness, determined to ignore the painting of the bothersome old headmaster. Phineas Nigellus Black could stare at the darkness of his robe-pocket for all he cared.

"Everything is frozen over," he whispered icily, nevertheless. "Not to mention wet, cold and dark."

"So?" Obviously, the old coot had been dead for too long.

"I don't intend to leave any sign that I was here," Severus added and huddled deeper into his robes. If he hadn't feared that his use of magic might draw the wrong intention, he would have used it ages ago – if just to apply a warming charm and maybe something to make his robes water resistant. As it was, they were slowly soaking through thanks to the melting snow.

"How far?" he asked the portrait.

"How should I know?" Black countered. "But from the feeling of my other portrait? Maybe a two- or three-minutes' walk to your left."

Severus took that as 'close enough' and stopped to look around.

Conditions of need and valour, Dumbledore had said. It took him another minute or two until Severus found what he had been looking for.

A pond.

It was frozen over and didn't seem too deep; just deep enough.

Severus grimaced and looked around again. The only thing that fit the requirements was still the pond…

"Well? Did you find something?" the portrait asked impatiently.

"Unfortunately," Severus agreed, still staring at the frozen pond. The water would be icy. Chances were high that just getting into it could kill somebody…

"You're not about to use magic, are you, Headmaster?" Black asked from his robe pocket. "I mean, it's your life, but–"

"–but it would be suicide," Severus finished dryly. "There are few spells that don't leave an afterimage of a wizard's magic – and all of those are based on emotions like the Patronus Charm."

Severus clenched his teeth and rounded the pond. Finally, at the furthest end, he found what he had been looking for. A tree had grown close to the water and had kept the ice at bay. At the same time, the pond seemed to be quite steep there, so Severus should be able to enter the water without disturbing the ice on top of it.

"This is suicide," he whispered to himself. "Only a Gryffindor would jump into a frozen pond."

What has the world come to that Severus will have to do the same?

"Are you already frozen out there?" Black sneered. Severus glared at his pocket, then he grudgingly started to remove his robes. He folded them carefully, putting them on a dry spot where the snow hadn't reached and then continued to strip down to his underpants.

Within moments, Severus started to shiver in the cold air, his teeth chattering. He steeled his resolve, and reached for the bundle he had been carrying. He removed the cloth a bit and revealed the pommel of Gryffindor's sword. Then he reached for his belt and slung it back around his body before tying the improvised sword shed to it. He had no intention of swimming with the sword in his hand.

"How much longer are you going to take?" the painting in his robe pocket complained, muffled by the clothes on top of it. Severus ignored it, took another deep breath and then slid into the water.

His breathing stopped for a second. He could feel the coldness immediately draining every feeling out of his legs and feet. Severus dearly wished for a warming charm. Instead, he pointed his wand at the water and mumbled "Expecto Patronum."

His doe appeared. Severus grimaced a bit when he noticed her staring at him as if she thought he was out of his mind.

Well, that is two of them.

"Show me the way to the middle of the pond," he requested of his dearest friend. For a moment, she hesitated, then she inclined her head and dove into the water.

Severus took a deep breath and followed her. Within minutes, his whole body was numb. Nevertheless, he forced himself to swim further – following his doe until she finally stopped.

He stopped next to his doe. Severus knew that if he didn't return soon, he would be out of breath. He reached towards his belt and fumbled for the sword. His numb fingers were barely able to close around the sword's pommel. He tried to pull it out, but he couldn't feel it and his lungs started to ache.

Finally, shortly before he had to give up, the sword came loose. He pulled it out and dropped it. The sword tip sunk into the ground. The pommel and its jewels glittered in the dark like a beacon.

The cloth that had held the sword loosened. At the last minute, Severus managed to catch it and wound it around his belt two times to secure it some more. Then he turned towards the doe and nodded. The doe immediately turned around to guide him back to where he came from.

Severus' lungs were burning. His body felt numb, but he forced himself to follow her.

When he finally reached the opening in the ice, his head broke the water and he gasped for breath.

Shivering, his teeth clattering, he stumbled out of the water and towards his clothes. He pulled the cloth from his belt, decided that opening his belt was a lost cause and instead dressed, not even bothering to close any buttons or tie his boots.

"Back again?" Black greeted him. Severus ignored it; he stumbled back into the woods. His doe followed him concerned which he ignored as well. When he was finally far enough away, he nodded to her.

"Get… P…P…Potter," he rasped and huddled into his cloak, while trying to ignore the snow. "He n…n…needs the sword."

And by Merlin, Severus hoped that Potter would be fast – before Severus ended up frozen stiff in the middle of the Forest of Dean.

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The End

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And afterwards, Harry came and pulled the sword back out of the pond. You all know the rest of the story, since the rest is canon - well, and Harry's PoV.

I hoped you liked my idea of Severus' PoV.

Over and out.

Ebenbild