The next day, Harry spent all day in the laboratory again, disembowelling frogs and other dead animals, and chopping ingredients. After dinner, he went back to his - or rather Snape's - bedroom. He fell asleep very early; so, it was not surprising that he eventually woke up by midnight. The laboratory's light was still turned on.
He couldn't get to sleep again, so he rose and went to the laboratory. He found Snape sleeping at his desk with his head resting on an open book.
Harry approached the professor. There was no sarcasm or sadism on Snape's sleeping face. Fascinated, Harry reached for the greasy hair. Poor Snape, thought Harry. I'm occupying his bedroom. He spends the nights here, working. No wonder he's so skinny, so pale, so... dirty. These potions cling to his skin, to his hair.
The boy ran his hand over the long hair, black like his own, and felt the professor's body shuddering. Snape mumbled and opened his eyes a crack; looked about to drop off again, then suddenly started, eyes flying open.
"What..."
"Easy," said Harry, in a soothing tone. "You slept at your desk."
"Hn. And what's the big deal?"
"You must be exhausted. Come to bed."
"But..."
"The bed is big enough for both of us. We are so skinny! Come with me."
Snape narrowed his eyes and blinked, doubting his own ears. Still astonished, he let Harry guide him to the bedroom, where he sank down onto the cold sheets at the boy's side.
When Harry saw the snake, it was too late to run away. He yelled. The snake lunged and wrapped itself around his neck, choking him. His mind drifted, and strange images began to appear. A cemetery and a group of persons dressed in black, with masks. The Dark Mark flashed in the skies. A group of Muggles were running away in panic. Suddenly, Harry saw himself grabbing a little girl and casting a Cruciatus on her. The girl fell to the ground, her body contorting in pain.
"No!" Harry shouted. "It's not me! I'm not doing this!"
Then strong hands shook him by the shoulders.
"Potter! Wake up!"
Trembling, Harry opened his eyes.
"Professor!"
"Was it a nightmare, Potter?"
"Er... I don't know! Do you think it is Voldemort? That he's trying to possess me again?"
Snape released him and seized his left forearm convulsively with his right hand. Harry followed this gesture with his eyes.
"Is he calling you?"
"Yes. Since some minutes ago. It's the first time since... that day when you were injured."
Harry seized Snape's forearm, near the Mark, in a comforting gesture, like he was trying to extinguish his pain.
Snape stared at him surprised.
"I don't know if this is a coincidence, but the pain has gone."
Harry removed his hand from the professor's forearm. Snape groaned and doubled over himself. Harry touched his forearm once again. Snape straightened up.
"This is really strange, Potter. It seems you have an effect on the Mark."
"Are you going to... answer to his call?"
Snape seemed to ponder this for a moment. Then he said:
"I don't think it would be prudent to leave you alone now. What if he tries to possess you again? If you could use your magic, or if there was someone that could stay with you, I would contemplate the possibility. As it is, with the Headmaster still in Grimmauld Place... And I haven't told you, but McGonagall went to join him this morning. She won't be returning in less than two days. There's a meeting of the Order's leaders.
"And you won't be there?"
"The Headmaster instructed me to stay here, taking care of Hogwarts. 'Holding the fort', he said. There's no one else here besides Filch and the house-elves."
Taking care of Hogwarts and me, thought Harry.
"Well, I can keep holding your arm," Harry suggested. "Maybe this way I can go back to sleep too. It won't be very easy, now that we know that Voldemort is alive."
TBC...
Author's Notes & Replies to Reviews:
Nymphadora Tonks1, thank you for all. Things are changing fast, as you can see! Happy betaing!
DaughterofDeath, I'm not a machine! Would you please rephrase your review? "Please add new chapter as soon as possible" is much better.
HeatherSnape a: thank you again!
barbarataku: LOL! I suspect you're right!
Rosaleen, thanks, I'm glad you're liking it.
Faerie Fighter: OMG, you're writing a fan fic here!
The Goddess Artemis, if I write longer chapters, I'll have to update less frequently. Yeah, I like Slytherin! Harry too.
Idiotmuse, this time, as you have just read, Voldie gave Harry a good excuse! Let's see what will happen in the next chapter...
queenofgondor21, thanks! I hope I can write Snape well enough!
Jenna, thank you for the nice comments. Are you serious? Do you think that the last part of chapter 5 was 'too much'? In what sense? Remember that this is a slash story, and rated R. Next chapters will be even... hotter.
ShadowWolf, thank you, stay with me!
KittenBabyGirl, yeah, poor Sev! The things we make him do!