Revenge of a Slytherin
Chapter 5
Professor Snape was worried about Nichol; he had not spoken to her for over a week. She had dashed from the great hall a few days earlier and had since taken all of her meals in her rooms. Many of the students had gone into Hogsmeade this weekend and he knew how much she loved it there, she had told him herself she loved the 'quirkiness' of the place, she had looked amazed when he had actually laughed, he still remembered the way she had smiled and him and told him he was not as cold as he liked to pretend to be – but when he spoke to Filch he had found that Nichol had not signed out to go to Hogsmeade at all that weekend.
It was Sunday evening and many students dived for cover as Professor Snape stalked down the corridors of Hogwarts, the Slytherin Housemaster was a pretty terrifying figure for most of the students. With his black suit and cloak, black hair and pale complexion he resembled vampyre, a bat. He was also well known for having formerly been a death eater, he had worked with the Dark Lord and many people still had their doubts about which side of the fence his loyalties fell. He was a dark and mysterious figure who had little patience and did not suffer fools gladly.
When he arrived at Nichol's rooms he stood outside the door, unsure whether to knock or to just leave, thinking he was maybe being foolish.
'Good evening Professor.' A voice nearby surprised him, he turned to see it was a nearby portrait had spoken he nodded in acknowledgement. Turning he was about to walk away from Nichol's door when the portrait spoke again 'she has not left her rooms for days you know'. Stopping in his tracks Snape spun around 'what?'
'The young Professor, she has not left her rooms in days, I have been here all the time and she has neither come nor gone'. Turning towards the door he tried the handle and found it was not locked, knocking again lightly called out 'Nichol, are you there?' There was no reply so he walked in, Nichol was not in her living room but he heard sobbing coming from her bedroom. Walking to the door he called out again 'Nichol?' she still did not answer so he walked into her room. What greeted him stunned even him; there she was curled into a ball on her bedroom floor sobbing her heart out. Her eyes were red and sore she had obviously been crying for some time.
He walked towards her and knelt by her side ' Nichol …' he whispered and leant towards her, but she flinched away from him and he saw the marks on her neck. 'Nichol, it is Severus, what happened here?' She looked up at him and he saw the fear in her eyes 'please help me…' she whispered, reaching out he pulled her into his arms but as he embraced her he felt her body go limp.
Staggering to his feet he held Nichol's limp body in his arms and ran from her rooms carrying her with him. As he swept past the portrait he told it to go get Professor Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall to the Infirmary right away.
Dashing down the corridor towards the Infirmary with the limp body of Professor Reynard in his arms Severus drew stares from many terrified students.