sweet as lemonz: I'd be less concerned with what Snape's up to and more concerned with what Draco's up to if I were you.

charmedrox: I try very hard to keep Snape in character, even though it's not always easy. I've always suspected some history between him and Narcissa, especially after HBP. Glad you like Adrian as a character, it's always hard to make a believable OC.

Chapter 12: You Should Be

I didn't know quite how to view Draco Malfoy. Part of me wanted to keep a closer eye on him so that he would be expelled should anything happen, but another part of me simply felt sorry for him. I suspected that because of his upbringing he had no choice but to become a Death Eater, he probably feels honoured to be one to a certain extent, but he's still only sixteen, and sixteen is awful young to be a murderer.

Another thing was bothering me as well, and that is the fact that Voldemort was willing to pull Severus out of the castle for a Death Eaters meeting obviously unconcerned about what would happen if he was "discovered". Grandpa told me that this was because Voldemort cared very little for anyone's life, whether you were his underling or his enemy. It also seemed that Severus wasn't involved in most of the Death Eaters activities given that almost every morning there were reports of new Death Eater attacks but Severus never left the school. I'd made it my habit to keep an eye on him and I wasn't quite sure why.

One night, just after midnight in early February, I was on my way up to my rooms when I spotted someone struggling to get in the front doors. Quickly making my way down the stairs I found Severus dressed in his Death Eaters robes leaning against one of the stone pillars just inside the entrance breathing heavily.

"Are you alright?"

He jumped, hand twitching towards his wand. "I'm fine."

That statement quickly became void, as he had barely taken more then two steps towards the dungeon before he stumbled. Reaching out I grabbed his arm to steady him.

"Obviously your not fine. Come on, I'll give you a hand since I hardly think Dumbledore would be happy if you were to fall down the stairs and break your neck."

"I don't need your help. I've done this before on my own."

I ignored his protests and kept him from falling flat on his face as we made our way down into the dungeons. A few steps from the bottom of the stairs I thought I saw someone move in the shadows and froze. Severus took that moment to pull away from me and ended up falling down the next few stairs to land in a heap at the bottom.

Draco Malfoy moved out of the shadows. "I have to say I'm surprised to see you, alive."

Slowly and quietly, without taking my eyes off of Malfoy and Severus, I reached into my robes for my wand.

"I thought the Dark Lord would finish you for sure, after all you weren't supposed to be making antidotes."

Severus started to get up slowly. "You are hardly privy to the Dark Lords thoughts, so in the future do not attempt to presume what he will do."

Malfoy lashed out suddenly striking Severus in the chest with his foot, knocking him back to the ground. A couple more good kicks resulted in a cracking sound that signalled Severus' ribs had given up on resisting, and Malfoy stepped back with a cruel smile.

"Consider that a warning for what will happen next time you interfere in a Malfoy's plans." Then he spun on his heel and disappeared into the darkness.

I waited a dozen heartbeats after his footsteps had faded away before making my way down the stairs to kneel beside Severus. Carefully I helped him to his feet and was surprised when he didn't resist me helping him to his office.

The door to his office stood open and every single vial and jar was smashed on the floor.

Severus uttered a soft curse as he stared at the mess.

"We'll have to see if Madam Pomfrey has the potions you need," I started but he cut me off.

"No. I have some stored in my room in case of an emergency."

I helped him back along the corridor and we stopped in front of a brick wall. Still leaning on me Severus pulled out his wand and tapped a stone with a large chip out of it and murmured "serpents layer". The wall turned opaque and we stepped through it into a sitting room.

I blinked in surprise as I looked around the room, even the other heads of houses didn't have rooms quite like this. A Slytherin house banner hung above the fireplace where the fire had burned low casting a dim light on a mahogany coffee table in front of a black leather couch. Severus waved his hand and half a dozen torches were instantly lit revealing tall mahogany bookcases along the wall to my right that contained more books on the Dark Arts then I ever knew existed, and the doorway to the adjoining bedroom.

I helped him across the room and through the doorway to the bedroom where more torches came on with a wave of his hand. To the left was the doorway to the bathroom and directly ahead of me was a four-poster bed swathed in sheets of deep green with sliver trim. At the foot of the bed was a trunk, which Severus went over and knelt in front of. Shifting around the contents of the trunk he uncovered a hidden compartment and opened it to reveal a number of vials of various potions.

Removing a large one containing a dark blue liquid that I recognised as being a strong painkiller that was only used sparingly and most often on victims of the cruciatus curse, he uncorked it and took a couple gulps before replacing it.

"I hardly think that's the advised way to take it," I said. And more then the advised amount I added silently.

He simply grunted and went over to the wardrobe where he placed both his cloak and sliver Death Eaters mask in a hidden compartment. Coming back over to the bed he took a seat on the edge facing me.

"Do you want me to fix your ribs?" I asked.

"You know how to mend bones?" Even tired and hurt he managed to sound condescending.

"One of many things I've learned. On top of the fact that your more likely to do yourself damage by trying to mend your own bones then you are if you get someone else to so it."

He snorted. "Do it then."

Pulling out my wand I touched it too his chest and murmured the healing charm. He immediately started breathing easier and some of the pain seemed to seep away.

"Thank you," he said so softly I almost didn't hear it.

"Your welcome," I replied evenly sticking my wand back in my robes and turning towards the door.

"Adrian."

I paused and looked over my shoulder at him.

"Be careful on your way out, Draco should not be underestimated."

"I'm hardly afraid of him."

The torchlight flickered across his face and for a moment he looked old and weary. "You should be."