Chapter 6

A/N: Sorry sorry sorry about the looooooooong wait for chapter 6... ahhh its all due to the summer holidays. Surprisingly, there is less time to write when one has more time on one's hands!!!

This chapter is dedicated to all of our reviewers. You ROCK!!! (That means you, duj, HarryLuva2004, Ellsie and rinkurocks)

Rubber Dukky )))' & SpUnGe HeAd

Snape stumbled through the thick undergrowth of the dark forest. Voldemort now had complete power over his body. His words would spill out of his mouth, his actions would be controlled and all the time he would be helpless – trapped inside his own body. Voldemort's puppet, the slightest twitch of a string and he would be forced to place the whole of the wizarding world in danger. Even thinking his own thoughts was a struggle, he knew there was no hope for him. I'm no match for the Dark Lord ... he thought resignedly. A cruel, cold voice replied: No Severus, with your ... haha ... 'help' no one will be a match for me ... not even Potter...

# # #

Neville paced up and down the dormitory, his insides performing somersaults. First Mandrakes now Akalobs, soon it will be people. Neville felt his stomach give another painful twinge and he sat down on his four-poster. There had to be something he could do to help – but what? All he knew was what he had seen – Snape nearly biting Sinistra's exposed neck. Had Snape always been a vampire? Neville was almost certain that the sharp, deadly looking fangs were a recent acquisition. Although Dumbledore did employ Professor Lupin when he knew full well that he was a werewolf and the danger that he imposed on both students and staff. Neville wandered over to the dormitory window and looked down at the students laughing and chatting merrily to one another. He wished, so very, very greatly, that he wouldn't have to carry this burden for much longer. The only thing that kept Neville from madness was the fact that Dumbledore trusted Snape. However, Neville was not sure that this was a good thing any more. Exhausted, he slumped on to his bed and quickly fell asleep.

# # #

Harry and Ron headed up the spiral staircase to the boys' dormitory.

"Did you see the look on his face after we said it was a Cockroach Cluster? Unbelievable!" laughed Ron loudly, as he and Harry entered the dormitory.

"Hang on Ron," Harry said nodding towards the now snoring Neville, "why is he so tired? It's only five o' clock! We haven't even had dinner yet!"

"Shall we wake him up?" asked Ron

"I dunno, yeah. Maybe he's ill... he has been acting weirdly recently, don't you think?"

"Now you mention it...Ron said thoughtfully. "He came in late from herbology – it must be serious!"

"Fangs...GET AWAY FROM HER!" Neville shouted, waking suddenly to see Ron and Harry's alarmed faces.

"Are you OK Neville? What's all this about fangs?" Harry asked tentatively. Ron looked at him and sniggered.

"Oh... er just a bad dream!" Neville laughed, but he looked shaken, "Just er...hungry. Let's go down to dinner."

Neville stumbled over to the door and down the dormitory stairs before Harry and Ron could agree.

"I wonder what he was really dreaming about." Harry said, wandering after Neville.

"Probably that new plant Sprout's got - you know, the one with teeth the size of broomsticks! Wonder what's for dinner I'm starving." Ron replied with a grin.

# # #

Neville was still acting just as strangely, if not more, the next day as they made their way down to the dungeons for potions.

Snape swept past Harry, Ron and Hermione, knocking them against the dungeon walls in his haste. Harry glowered at the back of his greasy head and followed him into the dungeon.

"Neville, is something wrong?" Hermione asked, looking at him anxiously, "you look a bit ill."

Neville gulped nervously. "Er yes, maybe it was something I ate for breakfast," he muttered, quickly following Snape and Harry into the dungeon and not meeting Hermione's eyes. She looked after him, frowning.

"Today," sneered Snape, "you will be concocting a warming potion. Incorrect measurements of ingredients will result in irreversible consequences, so make sure you take care."

Snape turned stiffly towards the black board and began to scrawl instructions in chalk upon it.

Hermione raised an eyebrow at Ron and Harry, Snape usually had notes ready prepared for them. That must have been why he was in a hurry, Harry thought absently.

Skin and slice three Shrivel figs and add them to the boiling juices of five pickled newts.

Stir fourteen and a half times anti clockwise before adding three drrrr drrrrrr ddrooopppss

Snape began to shake as he wrote, the chalk snapped but he carried on trying to write regardless...

Of vaaaaaaaaaaammoli essence and piiour into the mixture hhhhheel

The chalk slipped from Snape's fingers and dropped on to the dungeon's stone floor with a crash. The class looked up as Snape turned pale and strode out of the dungeon door, slamming it behind him. The sound resounded throughout the stunned silence.

"What the...?" Ron started, the whole class broke into excited chatter but Hermione looked concerned.

"Shall I go and see if he's alright?" Hermione asked Harry. Harry gaped at her, open mouthed.

"Do you have a death wish, Hermione?" Harry replied. Hermione looked at him scornfully. "What if he's really ill?"

Ron snorted, "who cares?!"

"Well, I don't think that..." Hermione started, but she was cut off by Neville tapping her shoulder.

"Hermione, I really don't feel well. If Snape comes back and wonders where I am, tell him I've gone to the hospital wing," he muttered.

"Um, ok," she said, looking anxiously at Neville, who was pale and shaking slightly.

He got up cautiously and sidled out of the room, unnoticed by any of the chattering students. He had no intention of going to the hospital wing. He'd decided to go straight to Snape and... he didn't know what he'd do then but he had to talk to him.

Filled with dread at the prospect of confronting an already fuming Snape, Neville scanned the long stone corridor for any sign of the potions master, feeling a little surprised that he wasn't there - maybe he'd gone to see Dumbledore? Neville didn't know what the episode back in the dungeons had meant, but he had a feeling it wasn't something good.

He started walking down the corridor in the direction of the Great Hall, planning to go back to the Gryffindor common room, when suddenly, Snape stepped out of an alcove in the wall just ahead of him.

Neville jumped and gasped, Snape was walking towards him and Neville had no idea what to say. As Snape drew level with him, Neville cleared his throat. "Um... Sir?" he started.

He had been expecting many reactions but not this. Snape simply carried on walking and looked straight through Neville, giving him the odd feeling that he was invisible.

Neville turned on the spot as he watched Snape continue to sweep down the corridor. What was going on? Neville didn't know whether he was relieved or disconcerted by Snape's somewhat vacant manner. Neville had no time to ponder further as at that moment Professor McGonagall appeared at the top of corridor looking thunderous. Neville quickly began walking back to the dungeons, wondering how Snape would react to his disappearing act.

Neville opened the dungeon door tentatively, Snape had continued where he left off writing steadily on the black board. Neville noticed that the earlier mistakes had been wiped away. He had almost reached his seat when Snape turned to face him abruptly.

"Why are you out of your seat, Longbottom? Ten points from Gryffindor." Snape snapped.

The curious class quickly resigned themselves to work as Snape scribbled away on the board, his usual bad temper resumed.