Severus didn't know how long he lay there, next to Greenhouse Two, in too much pain to even cry. Finally he managed to stand. Leaning against the greenhouse for a moment, trying hard not to breathe too much, he assessed his damage. One broken rib, maybe two; his arm felt badly bruised, and one eye was about swollen shut – he prodded it gently and winced. Damn…
Blinking away tears of pain, he clamped one arm tightly about his chest and began shuffling toward the castle entrance. The sun was sunken low in the sky. I must have been out here for hours…
Down a darkening hallway on his way back to the Slytherin common room, Severus heard voices moving toward him. In no mood to verbally spar, he straightened as much as he could, hoping for a simple passing.
No such luck.
"Greetings, Severus," Remus Lupin smiled.
Severus nodded slightly – he was sure they had already seen his blackened eye.
"What's wrong, Snape?" Sirius Black sneered. "A house-elf get the better of you?"
Rage shot through the Slytherin's frail form. They didn't know… could not know… how dare they? Severus's mouth twitched.
"I see your friend is still sweet on that mudblood," he purred through gritted teeth, glancing over at Lily. Anger contorted James Potter's features; he threw off his glasses and handed them to Remus.
"You don't… insult…" His face reddened, and Severus braced himself. Thrown against the wall, he smiled up into James's fury. Weakened, he allowed himself to be pummeled from three sides, unable to do much else. Lupin remained to one side with a pair of glasses in each hand, looking on bemusedly. Lily backed away, horrified.
"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?"
The beating stopped, and Severus found enough strength to raise his head. Professor McGonagall, the new Transfiguration teacher, was hurrying toward them, alarmed. As she got close, Severus could see a tic going in her cheek. "Potter and Black! I would expect better from you!" she shrieked.
"He insulted Lily, Professor!" James said heatedly. "He called her a mudblood!" Lily, now backed against the opposite wall, shuddered, nodding.
McGonagall's eyes were riveted to Snape. "Is this true?" Severus nodded weakly. Mouth set in a thin line, McGonagall looked back to James and Sirius, and a trembling Peter Pettigrew. "Twenty points from Gryffindor for each of you, and ten from Slytherin. And detentions," she added as an afterthought.
"Is that for me too?" Remus asked. McGonagall thought for a moment, and then shook her head.
"But go, all of you, unless you want more points deducted! Yes, more from my own house!" she barked at them. The five Gryffindors hurried off, casting rueful glances back at the Professor. McGonagall, however, was looking only at Severus. The boy struggled to rise, and stood in front of her, panting and hunched partway over.
"Do you need to get to the hospital wing?" Professor McGonagall asked kindly.
"No… I'm just sore… thank you, Professor." Severus gulped back his pain and stood straight, shaky though he was. He hoped she wouldn't notice.
McGonagall nodded hesitantly. "All right then. You should be off to bed." She whisked down the hall the way she had come.