Disclaimer: I don't own any Harry Potter characters or any part of Harry Potter. Please don't sue, I have nothing to give you except my "Katamari Demacy" and "We Love Katamari" games which I will defend with my life.
This story is dark and there will be a death. I'm not saying who yet. You have been warned, it will be a very dark piece.
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On with the story.
Severus tried to hide his eagerness as the owls flocked into the great hall to deliver the morning mail. Where was he? He scanned the owls that had swooped down to the Slytherin table and the pit that had formed in his stomach over the past couple days got a little deeper. The last owls flew in and he had to force his disappointment from showing. He pushed the bowl of cereal he had been pretending to eat away before grabbing his bag and leaving the table. He was so upset that he didn't notice the concerned look that he received from one of the Professor's at the head table.
He didn't understand why it hadn't showed up yet. His mother's owl always came on Mondays and today was Thursday and it still wasn't here. She had sent him a letter every week since he had started Hogwarts and they arrived like clockwork with Monday's mail. The fact that it was three days late made him worried and upset. The letters from his mother were one of the only things that he actually looked forward to.
None of the other Slytherins seemed to take any notice of him as he quickly made his way toward the doors of the great hall. None of them ever took any notice of him unless he managed to earn them a few house points with his potions abilities. It was the only thing he had going for himself and the only thing that made him worthwhile in the eyes of the other Slytherins. He was a half-blood in their perfect house and they didn't have time for anyone who fouled their perfection.
He managed to make it out of the great hall before his eyes started to tear up. Why hadn't she written him? Had she finally stopped caring about him? It wouldn't have surprised him if she had. He wasn't worth anyone's time. He gripped the strap of his worn out book bag a little tighter as he made his way through the nearly deserted halls of the castle. Almost everyone was still eating breakfast so the walk to his first class was rather quick.
The hall outside the potion's lab was empty and he quickly composed himself before going inside. Much to his surprise he found Professor Slughorn sitting at his desk grading papers. He swore under his breath. The man had been sitting at the head table when he had left the great hall. How had he made it down here before him?
As he sulked toward his work-bench he could tell that Slughorn was watching him. He was surprised when the elder man actually decided to speak.
"Are you alright Severus? You didn't eat again this morning and I'm worried about you." The idea that his head of house had been watching him shocked him.
"I had a bowl of cereal."
"But you didn't eat it Severus." The list of curses that passed through Severus' mind would have stunned a seventh year but he held them all back.
"So."
"So, that indicates to me that something is wrong. Would you care to tell me what it is?" Severus refused to look at the man.
"It's none of your business. I doubt you would really care anyway."
"You won't know if I care or not unless you tell me." For a second Severus considered telling the man what was bothering him but the door to the potions class chose that moment to swing open as the other students began to trickle in.
Severus could hear Slughorn sigh in frustration as he turned his attention to the rest of the class. The benches slowly filled up and Slughorn was writing the steps of the potion on the board when the door opened a final time to admit James Potter and Sirius Black. Potter was in the middle of telling a joke and Black was in the process of laughing when Professor Slughorn cleared his throat. Both boys looked up at him and Potter flashed an award winning smile that would have melted any other teacher in the school.
"Hello and good morning to you Professor."
"Mr. Potter, Mr. Black, perhaps you can would care to tell me what is so funny and I dearly hope that it has something to do do with blood-replenishing potion we are discussing in class today. A potion which we have already begun discussing, I might add. Take your seats and I am taking 10 points from each of you for being late to my class for the second time this week." James looked ready to argue but Slughorn stopped him.
"Argue with me and I will make it 20 each Mr. Potter." The boy clamped his mouth shut and immediately made his way to his seat beside Remus Lupin. The Slytherins snickered amongst themselves as their head of house turned back to the board to continue writing the directions for the potion.
Severus was already pulling out the ingredients he needed from his potions kit. By the time Slughorn told them to begin he already had everything out and he and his partner were ready to begin. He was lucky to have a halfway decent potions partner and the pair were the first finished. Severus labeled the and took it to Slughorn's desk. The man took the vial and studied it for a moment before looking up at Severus.
"Very good. The color is about half a shade off but the potion will still be effective. 5 points to you and Mr. Tramms for your effort. Once the two of you have finished cleaning up you are free to leave." Severus was crushed, he had not been off on a potion since second year. Slughorn noticed his disappointment but said nothing. The elder man picked up the stack of papers he had been grading throughout class and pulled out Severus' essay. He wrote a quick note on it and handed it him.
Severus glanced at the essay and was even more displeased to see that he had not received the full marks that he usually got for his potions assignments. The note from Slughorn simply said, "See me later, we need to talk. Come by at 7:00." It was not a request and Severus nodded before returning to his desk to gather his things.
Once he was out of the classroom he all but ran for the Slytherin dorms. He had a free period after his potions class and he wanted to be alone. Immediately upon reaching his room he dove on his bed and pulled the curtains closed before placing silencing and notice-me-not charms on the bed. Slytherins were far too nosy for their own good and he did not want anyone to hear him crying. It would not go over well with the others in his year who saw emotions as a weakness.
He stayed there long after the tears had finally stopped running down his face and he didn't move until it was almost time for him to go to Transfiguration. He cast a concealment charm to hide the fact that he had been upset and quickly made his way to class which, much to his relief passed with any major incidents.
It took him longer to manage the vanishing spell they were attempting and he knew that McGonagall was giving him odd looks as he struggled with the assignment but she didn't say anything and he was grateful for her silence. He didn't want to have to explain why he couldn't concentrate.
The rest of his classes for the day passed in similar fashion. His performance was off and he knew that all of his professors noticed. He was normally a excellent student and to such a marked difference in his performance was something that they immediately noticed.
Dinner finally came around and Severus again found himself picking at his food. He simply had no appetite. He could tell that Slughorn was watching him throughout the meal so he forced himself to eat something. He did not want a lecture about his eating habits when he went to meet with Slughorn after the meal.
Once he had finished he got up and exited the hall. When he got to Slughorn's office he was not surprised to find the man waiting for him once again. The potions master motioned to the couch across from his desk and once Severus had taken a seat he sat down beside him.
Without speaking the elder man picked up a pitcher of pumpkin juice and poured each of them a glass. He handed the first one to Severus and was clearly waiting for him to drink before taking a drink of his own. Reluctantly Severus sipped the juice and immediately recognized that the drink had been heavily dosed with a nutritional potion.
He glared at his professor as he sat the glass back on the table. Slughorn merely glared back.
"You aren't leaving until that glass is empty." Severus stared at the man in disbelief.
"You are joking." He got up to leave but quickly realized that the room had been warded to prevent his exit. "What kind of game are you playing?" He hissed dangerously.
"I'm not playing a game. You aren't eating, your grades are slipping, and I'm worried about you. You can talk to me Severus, please." Severus turned away from Slughorn and refused to look at the man.
"I told you it was none of your business."
"I'm making it my business by deciding to care about one of my students. You can fight me all you want but in the end I'm only trying to help. I don't care if you tell me but you are not leaving this room without drinking that juice. You can fight me all you want but I know I'm stronger then you and you can't get through the wards unless I let you out." Severus turned to stare at the man.
"So you are going to force me stay here?" Slughorn did not back down at the sight of the boy's glare.
"Yes." His response seemed to bring Severus close to tears and the boy turned away from him again.
"Why are you doing this?"
"I'm allowed to care about my students Severus. Something is bothering you and it worries me."
"You are just afraid that I'll jeopardize our chance at the house cup." Now it was Slughorn's turn to be surprised.
"Is that really what you think?"
"It's all my house mates care about. Why would you be any different? You can't fix anything anyway."
"I can try if I know the problem."
"No you can't." Severus knew he wasn't going anywhere so he returned to the couch and buried his head in his hands. In a soft voice he continued.
"You will only make things worse. Just let me go I don't want to talk about it."
"Severus..."
"I said I don't want to talk about it. Please don't force me to." Severus could hear the man sigh.
"It's easier when you talk about things. I know most Slytherins are discouraged from doing so but it does help. If you need to talk my office is always open. You are finishing the juice though. I will not risk you collapsing in one of your classes." Severus was going to protest but Slughorn cut him off. "Drink it or I'm taking you to Poppy." Severus grimaced and picked up the glass.
The potion was slightly bitter but he decided to drink it quickly before Slughorn decided that just drinking the potion wasn't enough and forced him to stay longer. Once the glass was empty he placed it back on the table and turned his gaze back to his professor.
"I guess that's all I'm getting out of you tonight. You are free to go." Severus wasted no time grabbing is bag and disappearing from the room. Slughorn watched him go in dismay. He had been keeping a close eye on the boy since he had been sorted into Slytherin and he did not like what he had seen, especially over the last week. Something was bothering the boy and he intended to find out what it was.