Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters. They all belong to JK
Rowling.

Chapter 3

Snape felt faint. He may be the Potions master at Hogwarts but the sight of blood made him feel uneasy. Sick, if the truth were told. Snape knew what he had to do. He got up and walked towards the door. As he left the Great Hall he locked the door. He did not want any students entering the Great Hall whilst something was at Hogwarts.

Snape walked up the stone stairs of Hogwarts, taking away points from unsuspecting students.

"Five points from Ravenclaw. Walk faster and stop obstructing the stairs". Finally he reached two stone gargoyles. He stood in front of the space between the two gargoyles and hissed the password.

"Sherbet lemon with extra sherbet" The wall between the two gargoyles moved. There lay a magnificent spiral stone staircase. Snape moved towards the staircase. The wall behind him closed.

He climbed up the stone staircase, which led to a large wooden door. It was the entrance to Albus Dumbledore office.

He knocked.

"Come in," said a cheerful voice.

Snape took a deep breath and walked in.

Dumbledore's office was too bright, much to Snape's dismay. On the walls of the office, there were pictures of past headmasters and headmistresses, sleeping.

Dumbledore stood behind his desk and chuckled.

"I'm afraid you have caught me red handed" said Dumbledore, his eyes twinkling.

"I had a strong craving for Bertie Botts Every Flavour Beans this morning. This is my fourth box."

Dumbledore smiled and then looked closely at Snape's face.

"Severus, what is the matter?"

Snape looked into the wise face of Albus Dumbledore and started to speak.

"Professor. I've found some blood, under your chair in the Great Hall"

"Blood?" asked Dumbledore

"Yes, professor and its warm"

Dumbledore had stopped smiling. His eyes were fixed on Snape.

"Tell me, Severus, have you experienced anything out of the ordinary?"

Snape hesitated. Should he tell Dumbledore about his sleepless nights and his fear of something roaming around Hogwarts.

He looked into the deep blue eyes of Dumbledore. He knew Dumbledore would find out eventually.

He took a deep breath and explained to Dumbledore what had been happening to him, from his sleepless nights to the Great Hall. Dumbledore listened patiently. He went and sat on his chair, deep in thought, whilst stroking his beard.

"Severus, who else was in the Great Hall when you thought something was there"

Snape thought hard. It was a difficult question as most of the students were present at breakfast time.

Then in hit him

"Potter was there, professor"

Dumbledore's eyes flicked towards Snape "Did he hear or see anything?"

Snape shook his head. "I don't think so, he was with Miss Granger and Mr Weasley"

They remained in silence for several minutes, both deep in thought.

"What about the blood?" asked Snape in a low voice. He did not like blood.

Dumbledore raised his eyebrows.

"I'm afraid Severus, I do not have any answers for your question. It may have been a house elf that hurt themselves..."

Snape raised his eyebrows

"But, the fact that you felt a certain presence, I think otherwise".

"What should we do, Professor?" Snape asked.

Dumbledore sighed. "Firstly I think we should remain calm. I'll inform other members of staff but it should be kept between the staff. I do not want any students finding out".

"Yes, Professor" agreed Snape.

"Keep an eye out, Severus, make sure no unusual behaviour takes place". "And" he added.

"If you feel anything, come straight to me".

Snape nodded and bid farewell to Dumbledore.

He was glad that he had spoken to Dumbledore, he always made him feel a lot better. Maybe, I'll get some sleep. Thought Snape. He walked towards his classroom, deep in the dungeons of Hogwarts. Blasted students, he was still in his foul mood, he could not wait to take some points of some pesky Gryffindors.

After breakfast Ron's mood had turned as foul as Snape's. He was hungry and angry with Snape for shouting at them in the Great Hall. His mood was not helped by the fact that the Gryffindors had double potions with the Slytherins, this afternoon Harry, too felt Ron's pain. He hated Snape, he hated him more than he hated the Dursleys, if that was ever possible.

"He's just going to take more points of Gryffindor" sneered Ron "And give more points to bloody Slytherin"

"He's just a slimy old greasy git," said Seamus, Harry's other roommate. "Yeah" agreed Dean laughing. "I'd like to mix him up with some spider legs and blood in a hot cauldron". The Gryffindors boys laughed. Neville Longbottom, who was really scared of Snape shivered.

"He's going to pick on me again," he moaned. Harry knew he was right. Snape loved picking on Neville, it was his second favourite thing to do, his first being taking points of Harry and Gryffindor.

The potions dungeon was dark. The smell of slime and seaweed filled the room. At the front of the classroom, there was Snape's desk, made from dark chestnut, it had a neat pile of papers stacked on it. Behind the desk was the blackboard with the ingredients of the potion that the class were going to make. Next to Professor Snape's desk and blackboard was Snape's storeroom.

Snape emerged from the storeroom, his black robes following him. His expression was that of disgust. He reached his and growled.

"Get your cauldrons and start your potions," commanded Snape.

Quickly, the class set up their equipment. Harry went to get some armadillo blood from the ingredients desk, at the other side of the classroom. He felt somebody watching him. He turned around so quickly that he almost tripped.

"Careful Potter, or I'll have YOUR blood," hissed Snape.

Harry hurried to his desk and began working on his potion.

The class worked quietly and quickly. The Slytherins tried to provoke the Gryffindors especially Harry and Neville by calling out silly names but Harry and Neville continued to work. They could not afford to louse any points for Gryffindor.

About forty-five minutes into the lesson, Snape walked away from his desk and began inspecting the potions. He began with the Gryffindors.

"You call this a potion? I would not give this to a dog" he said to Dean.

"Mr Longbottom. You are a complete waste of time," he said aloud, so all the class could hear. The Slytherins roared with laughter whilst Neville looked ashamed.

"Its too runny" he said quickly as he walked past Hermione. The Gryffindors as well as the Slytherins knew that Hermione's potion was exactly how Snape would make it but Snape hated Gryffindors, so there were no complements coming from him.

He hissed at Ron, (The potion is not suppose to match the colour of your hair Mr Weasley) and rolled his eyes at Parvatti.

He reached Harry's and peered into his cauldron. He stuck his finger into the cauldron.

"The potion is not suppose to be sticky, it's suppose to be drinkable, clear and most importantly, JUST LIKE MINE"

Snape's nostrils flared whilst he spoke.

"Mr Potter, does this potion look like my potion?"

Harry looked at Snape.

"Well", said Snape in a low voice "Do look into my cauldron and see if your potion looks anything like mine"

Harry reluctantly looked into Snape's cauldron. His potion was clear. He looked into his own cauldron, his potion was a mucky yellow colour.

Harry swallowed and said "No sir"

Snape lips twitched. "10 points from Gryffindor for being completely stupid"

Snape turned around.

"Class dismissed" he yelled and returned to his storeroom, his black robes followed him.

Harry looked at Ron and Hermione. "What's his problem? He seems to hate me even more"

Hermione placed her hand on Harry's shoulder.

"Harry don't worry about Snape.."

"Yeah Harry" cut in Ron He's probably realized that he's a stupid greasy git" Dean and Seamus snorted, whilst Neville giggled quietly.

"Looks like Gryffindor are lousing the house cup-And its all down to you, Potter" snarled Draco Malfoy

"Eat dung, Malfoy" yelled Ron

Draco smirked and walked past them, bumping into Hermione as he passed.

"Mudblood" he muttered to her

"I wonder what's wrong with Snape" asked Harry as he Ron and Hermione walked towards Gryffindor tower.

"There's always something wrong with him" muttered Ron

Hermione shook her head. "No, there's something different, he seems...... more bitter and sour than normal...like he's worried about something".

Harry looked over at Hermione. "Well he threw us out of the Great Hall this morning and he's been even more nasty than normal".

"But isn't that just like Snape?" argued Ron, looking unhappy. "I mean he's always taking points away from us. Why should today be any different?"

Harry sighed, "Your right, Ron Snape's just a miserable old git"

Hermione smiled "And we can always get points for Gryffindor from Hagrid!"

Snape sat in his office in the evening. He had missed dinner in the Great Hall. He could not face all those students. He poured himself another glass of whiskey. He looked at the bottle. It was almost empty. Snape took a deep breath and finished the rest of his drink. He had had Potter for Potions today. How stupid can the boy get, he thought to himself.

Snape smirked at got up.

He walked towards his desk and sat down in his chair. He picked up some papers and began to read them. Nearly an hour passed, Snape was still sat on his chair, marking various pieces of work. He put his hand through his hair and sighed.

He was tired, he needed sleep, a lot of sleep. He closed his eyes and tried to empty his mind.

Snape's eyes flew open. He had fallen asleep. He looked quickly to his left. Something had moved. Snape got up from his chair, son quickly that his chair fell backwards. He felt something tickle, at the back of his neck. He turned around. His eyes flickered around the room. His hand reached for his wand.

"Lumos" he muttered.

Light appeared in the room. He scanned every corner of the room. He took a deep breath and sat down. He did not find anything. It was just his mind. Snape closed his eyes and settled into his chair. He had just got comfortable, when..

"Severus....Severus.......Severus" came a voice from the dark.