By: Lynn Metallium
Disclaimer: I am but a poor little American girl and I do not own Harry Potter and co., that privilege goes to the wonderful J.K. Rowling, (my hero! XD) so please don't sue me and all that stuff because I would be sad and cry and you wouldn't get any money because I had to use it all for college XD
Chapter 1
It was hard to put off the inevitable, Harry Potter decided after a moment. It wasn't like if he sat here at the lunch table long enough, he wouldn't have to go to Potions. No, no matter how many times he tried to trick himself in his mind that the class was simply not going to happen, it was always a matter of seconds before reality caught ahold of him and gave him a nice little reality flash that yes, Potions was real, and yes Harry, if you do not get up right now, you are going to be late and Snape will give you detention and then you will be very angry.
A hard sigh escaped from his lips as he pushed himself away from the table, staring wistfully at his plate as if he could make lunch time start all over again and he could sit back down and ignore the nagging feeling that came right before Potion class that said, Harry, Snape is going to ruin your nice day.
"Come on you guys- We better go before we're late to Potions-"
"Eager?" Hermione stood up, her eyes gleaming at him, and Harry ducked his head and tried not to glare at her. "Good, about time you get eager about learning something!"
Ron only rolled his eyes and stood as well.
"Why to you have to edge her on?" He grumbled in a sulky voice that Harry couldn't help but snicker at.
"Well, it wasn't like I was trying you know, I really just don't want to be late to Potions and get points taken away and detention like last week-"
Ron nodded his head sympathetically. Last week had been the worse. They had been late twice, and Ron was almost sure that if they were to repeat again this week, Snape would have their heads on platters. Hermione of course, had no sympathy what so ever for the two of them. As she tended to say,
'It was your own fault Ronald Weasley! And yours too Harry! You should know better then to hang about in the hallways when you need to get to class-'
It was right after that part of the speech that Ron decided it would be pointless to mention that it was Malfoy's fault because that would have gotten them another lecture about being able to control one's self as they were young gentlemen and the likes. Then he would have rolled his eyes at her, and gotten yet ANOTHER lecture about giving a young lady proper respect, to which he would have laughed at, and then been banned from any snogging for a week. And that would have sucked, so he simply refrained from the whole thing.
By the time Ron had finished recapping the whole thought in his head, the three of them were standing outside the Potions classroom behind a large group of squirming, whispering group of mixed Slytherin and Gryffindor seventh years.
Curious, Harry attempted to peer over the other students to see just what was going on, but despite going through puberty, he sourly noted, that he still hadn't grown as much as he would have liked in the height department. Ron topped him by at least six inches, more or less, and was peering over the other heads with much more ease then either Harry or Hermione.
"What's going on Ron?" Hermione hissed from her boyfriend's shoulder, looking up at him. Harry was glad she asked, because he was sure it would have been slightly embarrassing for him to have to ask instead.
"I don't know, I can't see anything in there-" Ron groused in an annoyed manor. "Wait..oh..It's Madam Pomfrey..and...Professor McGonagall...and...someone else I cant see, standing in the classroom.." Ron's forehead scrunched up. "Bloody hell, they're bringing out Snape! And he looks unconscious! Oh bloody hell-"
Harry frowned furiously as he attempted to see what was being described to him himself.
"Out of the way, move out of the way, for heaven sakes!" Madam Pomfrey was getting irritated with the brats. Oh she did love them, otherwise she would never have taken such a job, but some were just so...well, there was no nice way of saying it, they were stupid!
"Potions Class will be canceled today-" Professor McGonagall was standing in front of them, her hands clasped tightly in front of her, her thin lips pressing tightly together the way they did when she was extremely irritated with someone for messing about in class. "You may have this time free, but if I were you, I would spend it studying...That is all, you are dismissed!"
A worried whisper busted out among the students, several looking rather gleeful as they quickly abandoned the others still standing about like lost cows in front of the Potions room. Odd glances were shot left and right as the other students slowly started to disappear.
"Professor McGonagall!" Harry surged forward as they passed, levitating Professor Snape in front of them. "What happened? Is he going to be alright?"
Ron stiffened a groan. Only Harry Potter, bleeding heart, would wonder if that greasy git was alright or not. Who cared? Potions Class was canceled! They had free time!
"He will be fine Harry-" McGonagall continued to purse her lips as she stared at the young man. "Please return to your dorm, we are taking care of this-"
"Harry....Harry Potter?"
McGonagall narrowed her eyes at the sound of the voice, turning to stare at the source. The third person Ron had seen had wandered her way from the classroom. A full bosom, well endowed below....Ron and Harry promptly gawked.
Hermione turned a furious shade of red and then smacked Ron on the back of his head. Ron let out an undignified squawk.
"Stop staring!" Hermione hissed, utterly embarrassed. Golden eyes narrowed to slits in amusement as the other being stared at her.
"I am quite fine, I assure you with eyes on me. I am not unaware of my nature, nor am I unaware of what my presence tends to do,..." The golden eyes flitted back over to Harry, who shrank back, still rather embarrassed. It was nude for Merlin's sake! And he was a teenage boy! A horny one at that! Didn't every teenage boy dream of something like this? Dear Merlin help him!
One blue skinned hand reached out towards his face, cupping it before Harry could yank away. It felt like he had just dunked his head into a pool of water, and he fancied he could feel the water drops sliding down his skin, even though he was dry.
"James's son..." Her head cocked to the side as she regarded him. Harry stared with widened emerald eyes.
"You knew my parents?" His voice held the same awe he tended to hold for anyone who had known the people that Harry had not.
"Not personally...Your father... knew of me, and I knew of him. We were not...what you humans would call friends. But knew him, yes, I knew him,-"
"Bloody hell Harry! Don't listen to her! She looks barely older then us! She couldn't have known your father!" Ron suddenly exploded, pulling Harry back by one arm, away from her touch. A low amused laughter slipped from her mouth, it sounded more like a hiss then a laugh.
"You make me feel good about myself child. I look barely older then you?....Well..barely is an understatement-"
"Stop provoking them...Dumbledore is waiting-" McGonagall suddenly cut in. "Come-"
The creature glanced at her out of the corner of her eyes, narrowing them again in the amused expression she had been holding before.
"Albus will wait Minerva...He has waited before, he knows to have patience with me, as you should-" She turned away, staring back at the trio, then, more specifically to Ron who shrank back much as Harry had. "Child, I am well on my way to being 500 years old-"
"What...the bloody hell! No one can be 500 years old! Stop lying-!" Ron snarled, clenching his fists with fury. Another one of her hissing laughs slipped out as she regarded them.
"No human...true young Weasley-"
"How do you know my name!" Ron sputtered with annoyance.
"You have Arthur and Molly printed all over your face-" She sneered faintly. "I am a water sprite, child. Do you think I have lived in the lake at Hogwarts all these years and have learned nothing- Your brothers were never nearly as hotheaded as you...Fred and George were much more amusing...Percy was at least level headed-"
"I said Dumbledore is waiting. Leave the children alone-" McGonagall grasped the sprite's arm, her mouth pursing harder. "Come-"
The sprite only stared at her and nodded.
"Very well, as you say, Albus waits- Another time then, children. You will know where I am," With that, the three watched the sprite allow Professor McGonagall drag her away towards the infirmary where they had taken Snape. Silence held around them for several seconds before Hermione managed to get her wits back first.
"I don't want either of you to go visit her at the lake-" She puffed, trying not to sound so unsettled. "She looks dangerous... I think she did something to Snape.."
"Oh bloody hell Mione! You don't know that she did that!" Ron busted out. Hermione turned and gave him a scathing look before launching out on a horrible tirade that he was just over won by a pair of bare breasts, which Ron, red-faced, heatedly denied.
Silently, Harry stared after them. Hermione was right, something was wrong there, and he wasn't about to let it slip by without him finding out what.
"Hey..Hey you guys?...I feel kind of tired, I'm going to go back to our room to lie down ok?" Harry looked at the two bickering who had ignored the fact that he had even spoken up.
He felt dejected for a moment, then turned to head off towards the common room to retrieve his cloak. Those two could stand there all day and fight, but meanwhile, he was going to find out about that water sprite, and, on an afterthought..Professor Snape too.
The feeling of cold rain awoken him, trickling down his neck. It was most unpleasant. Much like crawling into bed with a lover who had cold feet.
Stirring slightly, Severus slowly pushed himself upright. He could feel the grim, from the ground where his face had been pressed, covering his cheek. With one hand, he reached up to rub it away, but only succeeded in smudging it about across his sunken cheeks. It dripped slowly off his chin as it became wet in the rain, turning it to sludge.
His eyes focused slowly on the walls on either side of him. Obviously he was in some sort of abandoned alley way of some sort, yet...not alone here. Drifting his eyes over a bundled body not laying two feet away, he felt his chest constrict tightly.
Harry Potter lay on his back, his usually unruly hair plastered back off his face, drenched in the rain, leaving his scar bare to Severus's eyes. A growl escaped the dark haired man, his warm breath leaving a patch of mist in the cold rainy air. Suddenly alarmed, he glanced back over Potter's face. No such misty cloud rose from the boy. Startled, Severus reached out before he could stop himself, one hand laying on the boys shoulder and shook him. When the boy didn't even stir, Severus gave him a harsh shake, making the boy's head flop back and forth, sending little sprays of raindrops from him.
Dark emerald eyes suddenly shot open, his mouth gaping wide as he suddenly inhaled loudly as if he had never breathed before. The breath rattled in his chest, gurgling sickly. With the inhale of breath he suddenly choked on the air and gagged, rolling over on his side to vomit on the wet muddy ground.
Severus watched him, swallowing the bile that rose in his own throat, struggling to keep his face blank, not sure what to make of it.
"Potter.." Severus's own voice was harsh from the cold and he was starting to loose feeling in his fingers.
Harry lay on his side, panting. He watched the clouds of mist go up with every breath. He gulped, the taste of bile still heavy in his mouth.
"Professor.." His eyes dropped close in confusion as he acknowledged the other man. He didn't understand what had happened, he didn't understand what he was doing here. A second ago, he had been secure in his room at Hogwarts. Now he was laying in a mud puddle, in an abandoned alleyway with his least favorite professor who would rather leave him here to freeze then help him.
Severus said nothing for several seconds, he was content for the moment knowing the boy was at least alive. His eyes took in their surroundings and he noted, rather sourly, that he didn't know where they were, and it would be unlikely that he would figure anything out in this rain. Without a word, he watched Potter struggle to sit up. A shutter ran through the boy down his spine.
This wasn't going to work, they couldn't just sit here, not speaking in the middle of the cold downpour. He was cold, the boy was cold, something had to be done and so without a word, he pushed himself to his feet, the muscles and joints screaming in pain as he did so. He was getting too old for this he decided as he stared down at the shivering boy.
"Get up Potter...We have to find shelter-" His voice was still harsher then usual and he saw the boy flinch at the sound of it. Glaring he rolled his eyes, stupid brat, it wasn't as if he had just beaten him senseless. Couldn't he wait until he gave him a real reason to be scared of him? Severus snorted, of course not. Without looking back to see if the boy was following or not, he started to walk away.
Harry didn't reply as he got to his feet as well, staring down at his robes that were covered in mud and soaking through to make him miserably cold. Feeling like a puppy, he trotted after the other man. He couldn't muster enough inside of him to be even reasonably angry with the other man. He was cold and wet, and so if the so called greasy git of a potion's master could find shelter, he wasn't going to waste his time infuriating the man.
He was so lost in miserable thought he nearly plowed the older man down as he halted at the end of the alley way. Snape turned around to give him a dirty glare before turning back to stare out through the rain at the town.
"There-" Severus pointed through the dark to a lighted building a few feet away with bright lights shining through the windows. The sign hanging from the doorway read, 'Silver Moon Inn' .
Harry stared at it silently before nodding. He wasn't going to argue, as long as it was warm and dry. Suddenly he realized Snape had nearly left him behind again and he rushed after the long legged man across the muddy ground, nearly slipping. By the time he caught up, Snape was standing in the doorway, holding the door open for him. Quickly he slipped by him into the warm bright room and stopped, staring with a bit of glee. Warmth..
"Potter, move your arse out of my way-" Snape growled and pushed him, not gently, out of the way. Harry stumbled and caught himself just in time to keep from falling. Growling faintly under his breath he glared at the older man as he marched towards the counter and the woman sitting behind it.
"Hello sir, what can I do for you tonight? It's awful wet outside isn't it-"
"Very..." Snape did not look amused. "I want a room-"
"Your white card sir-?" The woman held out her hand expectantly. Snape only stared at her with a deadpan look on his face. "Sir...? Your..white card?"
"I haven't one-" He replied through clenched teeth. Nervously, Harry drifted closer, peering around Snape's shoulder at the woman who was looking frazzled.
"Sir, I cannot give you a room without your white card, your travel pass," She looked at him hopefully as if he would suddenly have an epiphany and pull the said white card of his pocket and solve the problem. If she had been hoping for it, she was sorely disappointed when Snape made no such movements to reveal what she asked for.
"Uh..ma'm, I'm afraid we aren't from around here...we don't have any cards-" Harry quickly spoke up and Snape shot him a furious glare. Trust Potter to open his big mouth.
The woman sitting at the desk looked like she had just seen a ghost as she stared at them.
"No...cards? Oh..Oh my! I certainly cannot give you room- You must leave, right now-" She looked about nervously and then narrowed her eyes. "Oh I could be in so much trouble for even allowing your filth in here..."
"Filth madam, I can assure you I am not..." Severus felt himself growl as he grasped for his wand. Oh he was going to hex this no good...He grounded his teeth as he attempted to keep from acting on his thoughts.
"No cards? And you dare not call yourself filth? Unregistered filth...You probably plan to rob me! Get out! Out you monsters!" She stood up so fast her chair fell over with a clatter as she snarled. "Get out before I call my husband!"
Severus was sure his teeth were going to snap and his nails draw blood on his palms as he struggled with his temper.
"Professor...please...lets just leave, this isn't worth it-" Harry quickly pulled on the older man's robes. This wasn't worth the trouble it was causing. Severus glanced at the young boy and let out a breath he didn't know he had been holding. For once the brat had a point. It wasn't worth it to stand here and argue with this muggle woman over a room. They would simply have to make do.
Quickly he grasped ahold of Potter's arm and shot the woman a furious look before proceeding to drag the boy from the Inn. They were back where they started...cold and wet. Anger cursed through Severus's veins as he drug the boy across the muddy ground to the alley way where they had started.
"Sir..sir what are we doing?" Harry tried to keep pace but he was tripping and falling over his wet robs and slipping in the mud didn't help much either.
"We," Severus spat. "Will be spending the night out here-"
"But sir...its raining!" Harry cried in shock, staring at him with confusion.
"But sir, its raining!" Severus mimicked him in a high voice with a sneer. "Thank you Potter for that wonderful observation because I would have never figured out such a thing for myself, since I am utterly incompetent-"
"I didn't mean-" Harry started, a bit embarrassed. Severus rolled his eyes as he went to pull his wand from inside his robes. "Sir...what are you going to do with that stick?"
"....Stick? Potter have you lost your bloody mind? That's my wand-" Severus snapped furiously, he did not want to play this game.
"Um...no sir..thats a stick-"
Severus stared at his hand, as if it had made the object that had once been his wand turn into a useless stick. He glared and for the first time in twenty odd years, Severus Snape wanted to cry.
Um....So..? Feedback please T.T! Let me know what you think if I should even bother to continue or abandon it all together as a horrible failure Xx...
