Second Chances



Chapter 03: Lucky Me!



When the world returned around him, he found himself in the middle of nowhere. The Dark Mark was hurting like hell and his hand felt as if it had been burnt. When he checked it, he saw it was indeed scorched and his wand a blackened piece of wood.



'Damn, that was a fine wand. Even though I got it shortly after taking the Mark. But I really liked it.'



Feeling for the phials in his pockets, he found them broken as well.



'Alright. No potions then. Must be my lucky day.' he thought sarcastically. 'Now I'm not only stuck here, but weakened and defenseless as well. I'm far too exhausted to do any wandless magic in the near future.' Looking up, he asked himself: 'Where is here anyway?'



A chilly gust cut through his black cloak like an answer to his question.



He shivered in the cold wind and realized he was standing on a snow-covered field under a clear, star-spangled night sky. On his left were mountains, forest on his right , and in front of him a big lake that reflected the light of the rising full moon. He thought for a moment and his gaze returned to the mountains, one in particular. Standing out from the others due to its height, the soft moonlight illuminated its features and revealed the form of an eagle.



Severus groaned. The Guardian Eagle! Then the forest had to be the DarkWood.



He was miles and miles away from Hogsmead where he had aimed to go. Well, he could consider himself lucky that he was still in one piece and no longer at the Serpent's Nest. At least the snaky bastard had nothing from him he could use in the Polyjuice Potion now. Severus intended to keep it that way.



The howl of a wolf made him look back to the forest and he shuddered. The Forbidden Forest was a garden compared to the wilderness he was facing. Some of the most dangerous creatures in Britain had made it their safe-heaven and guarded it ferociously. Nobody who had entered it during the last five decades had been able to make his way out again.



'Hagrid would surely like it.' Severus thought wryly, trying absentmindedly to flex the fingers of his injured hand. The hot pain searing up his arm told him that it was a rather bad idea and he stopped it immediately. Thankfully the cold air numbed the pain soon.



'Delightful. No wand, no potions, one hand useless... No way to get back to Hogwarts. I can't even send them a warning. No owl in its right mind would live out here. I'm as good as dead.'



He considered his options briefly and came to a conclusion. There was only one thing left to do.



'Well, I better make sure I am indeed quite dead before my former colleagues come and find me. And since I can't count on the cold to finish me off in time...'



Turning to the gloomy forest, he slowly, but determinedly started walking towards it.



'I just hope whatever gets me makes it a quick kill...'



The DarkWood only lay there in silence and waited for him.



***************



A/N: The Guardian Eagle was inspired by a postcard I found at a fair. If you want to have a look, go to www.hpkolb-gallery.de .
It's one of the 'Postkarten' in the shop.
As for poor Severus... What will happen to him in the forest? We'll see...



Greetings,
Scheckie