XXX
Dumbledore leaned back in his chair and rubbed his face wearily. His mind was a whirl of thoughts, chaotic and disordered – not how he liked things at all. One thought that dominated all others was the fate of Severus. Minerva had curtly informed him of the successful mission to administer the lycanthropy cure some hours previously but he still felt unsettled. He had been shown Severus's research, and he trusted in his brilliance yet still he felt anxious. His Potions Master had been deathly ill prior to his abduction – perhaps the cure had arrived too late to do any good? Evidently Hermione had been quite disturbed on her return and that in turn had rattled Minerva's already shredded nerves. She had delivered her message in a rush, her eyes boring into his with an intensity he found hard to bear. When she finally broke her death stare, she couldn't get out of the room fast enough, it was clear she could not abide a single moment in his company that was longer than absolutely necessary. He let out a deep sigh. His relationship with Minerva was in tatters. She no longer trusted him, that much was obvious…
He was interrupted from his thoughts by a firm and insistent knock on his door. He rose to his feet to and walked around his desk towards the door, by which time the knock was already being repeated urgently.
"Enter," he called, standing ready to receive his impatient guest.
The tall, intimidating figure of Lucius Malfoy strode into the room, straight past Dumbledore's outstretched hand and planted himself on the edge of his ornate desk, his cane resting across his thighs as he raised an eyebrow at the old Headmaster.
"Mr Malfoy, to what do I owe the pleasure –" Dumbledore began. He hated showing this man any kind of courtesy but to not do so would only cause more grief. Lucius was a governor of the school, well connected and with considerable sway over the more dubious members of the Ministry. He would have to watch his step.
Lucius rolled his eyes, "Let's dispose of the nauseating pleasantries and get straight to the crux of the issue, shall we? We're both adults, Dumbledore, capable of speaking plainly and openly."
Dumbledore narrowed his eyes, his smile of greeting fading as he regarded the man suspiciously.
"Are you here to abduct more of my faculty, Lucius? Or perhaps you are here for me this time, hmm?" he made his way back to his desk and retook his seat, "I sincerely hope you are not here to inform me of Severus's demise?"
Lucius offered a bitter laugh and rose to his feet, turning abruptly and slamming his cane down on the desk with considerable force.
"Listen, you stupid old man, Severus is like a brother to me, he is family!" he snarled. "Malfoy's take care of their own and that is what we did. Severus's health has made a turn for the better under the expert care of my wife, more than I can say for his care here!"
Dumbledore's face visibly relaxed and he took a deep, shaky breath, "Thank Merlin," he whispered under his breath. "How is he?"
Lucius regarded him shrewdly, "Not well, but no longer dancing with death, for now. You seem very concerned over your Potions Master, Dumbledore. It almost seems as though you care for the boy!"
"I care for all under my roof, especially my staff," Dumbledore forced, his eyes narrowing in anger. "Severus is a highly valued member of my teaching staff, we have worked together for many years and he has been a most reliable and –"
Lucius cut him off. "I do not know the finer detail of how Severus came to be so terribly injured under your roof, as you put it – he is, after all, more than capable in a duel, and more than a match for many. But now it is clear to me, you are the reason for his brush with death, are you not? No doubt you sent him on some errand that you were too cowardly to complete yourself," he leaned across the desk, piercing blue eyes drilling into Dumbledore's as he wearily rose his head and offered a mute nod.
"As I thought. The great Dumbledore, treating his staff as pawns to do his bidding no matter the consequence!" he laughed bitterly.
"Why are you really here, Lucius? I cannot think that informing me of Severus's condition would be reason enough to bring you to my door. What is it you want from me?" Dumbledore snarled.
Lucius stood again and paced before the great desk, twirling his cane in his gloved hands as he moved.
"The Dark Lord is most intrigued with Severus's survival. As am I." He paused and gave the older man a hard look. "Malfoy Manor is heavily warded, and yet I suspect my security was breached and I believe you were responsible, or one of your other little minions." He hissed.
Dumbledore returned his stare, unflinching.
"The violation of your security is of no concern to me. Perhaps you ought to look to your own household?" he suggested, eyes hard.
"I find it very hard to believe that anyone in my household would deign to defy me!" he cried incredulously, " No, Dumbledore, you were behind this! Someone came into my home and gave him a potion. It is the only answer! What did you give him?" he raged, smashing his cane down hard on the desk and knocking a whirring silver instrument to the floor. "Narcissa tells me Severus was dying in her arms until just a few hours ago when he suddenly made a remarkable improvement! How?"
Dumbledore shrugged innocently, "I suggest you speak to your Lady wife about that."
"Argh!" Lucius whirled around in rage, using his cane to send more instruments crashing to the ground.
"Don't you understand, you mad old fool? Whatever you've done may have saved Severus's life but now the Dark Lord will not permit him out of his sight! He is forbidden to return here and is to remain a prisoner in my house until he can prove the cause of his miraculous recovery!"
The colour drained from the Headmaster's face as he slowly rose to his feet, hands placed on the desk in front of him.
"And then what?" he gasped, concern etched across his face. Lucius closed his eyes and swallowed hard before replying in a quiet voice.
"He has ordered Severus to make him a strengthening solution, to make him impervious to death, and he won't be foolish enough to test it on himself, he will chose a subject!"
"Severus," Dumbledore whispered.
Lucius gave him a look of utter despair, "Now do you see what you have done? You have signed his death warrant."
Dumbledore slumped into his seat, utterly defeated. His head was pounding with grief and shock and despair and he whimpered slightly as he sat there.
Giving the collapsed man a look of total disgust, Lucius raised his cane and pushed it into the old man's chest, driving him backwards in his chair until his eyes met his.
"I am henceforth delivering notice of Severus Snape's immediate resignation from his post here at Hogwarts, and as Governor I am also informing you of his replacement who has been personally selected by the Ministry. Starting tomorrow, our dear friend Mulciber, will take the position of potions professor and will report directly to the Ministry." He delivered the message coolly, noting with appreciation the look of dismay that crossed the older man's face. "I am assured his methods are most robust."
"Get out," Dumbledore whispered, his blue eyes set hard. When Lucius merely raised an eyebrow at him, Dumbledore rose to his feet, his chair scraping back across the floor as he thrust the Malfoy's cane away from his chest.
"GET OUT!" he roared, magic sparking from his hands and causing the lights to flicker ominously. Lucius looked disconcerted and sprang backwards, heading for the door.
"GET OUT!"
Lucius had just slipped through the door into the corridor when the door frame exploded into hundreds of tiny fragments and slivers, closely followed by the door and part of the wall beyond. As he strode calmly away from the sounds of destruction behind him, Lucius allowed himself a grim smile. It would appear the old man wasn't impressed with the new addition to his staff. No wonder, the man was a sadist with little patience and quick to temper. Who's going to protect your little Gryffindors now, Dumbledore?
XXX
Severus practiced pushing himself to his feet, wincing at the sudden pain that lanced through his feet and up his legs. Sweat beaded on his forehead as he forced himself to hold the stance for a full minute before his legs gave out and he collapsed back onto the bed. He snarled and punched the bedside table hard, causing it to fall and scatter his uneaten lunch across the floor. He squeezed his eyes shut in frustration as pain flooded his body and threatened to push him back into oblivion.
As he sucked in deep, agonised breaths into his damaged lungs, he heard the door open and soft footsteps cross the room towards him. A cool hand on his damp forehead made him force his burning eyes open and he found himself staring into the concerned face of Narcissa. He groaned and slammed his eyes shut again.
"Severus, I know you are awake – in fact, your little demolition act has alerted most of the household to your conscious state. Open your eyes." She commanded firmly.
He sighed and allowed his eyes to open a fraction.
"I am not a good patient, Narcissa." He growled sullenly. His voice still sounded weak, unrecognisable. Gods, he hated being weak.
"Severus you have been through a terrible ordeal, you are still healing – you will be for some time. You are lucky to be alive."
"Lucky? Merlin, Narcissa!" he laughed hoarsely, "I feel like the luckiest man who lived."
"Stop it, honestly Severus! You're alive, aren't you? Which is more than I would have dared to hope just a few hours ago!" the sorrow in her voice gave him cause to pause and he regretted his sarcasm. She didn't deserve it.
"I'm sorry, Narcissa. I just hate feeling so weak, I do not like fuss." He admitted, stroking the top of her hand gently. "I know this has been hard on you too."
She bit her lip, watching as his fingers traced small circles on her skin. Merlin what this man did to her. She gathered her composure.
"I will do what I can to bolster your recovery, but you must accept my help. You must eat, and rest. Regain your strength." She insisted, her face set.
Severus recognised that look and nodded silently in resignation.
"Fine." He murmured. His words sounded slurred and he could feel the fatigue waiting to wash over him and take him back into the comforting darkness. His eyes slipped shut and he was relaxing into the bed once more when he heard another set of footsteps enter the room. He kept his eyes closed and strained to listen.
"What do you want?" Narcissa – cold, unfriendly. Whomever his next visitor was clearly wasn't a favourite of Lady Malfoy.
"Leave us," Greyback snarled, his tone laced with malice.
Severus opened his eyes. Greyback was towering over Narcissa's slender frame, his feral face hovering inches from hers, his eyes amber slits. His hands were clenched into fists.
"I do not think it wise, he is not fit for visitors –" Narcissa was a plucky woman, and she wasn't about to back down in her own home against a lowly being such as this. She had no time for werewolves.
Greyback raised a heavy hand and was inches from grasping her neck when Severus decided to take control of the situation. A strong stinging hex smacked the werewolf across his cheek and caused him to stumble sideways away from Narcissa, howling in pain. Narcissa looked quickly over to see Severus standing shakily beside the bed, one arm outstretched towards her, the other grasping the headboard for dear life and she darted around the bed to his side, sliding an arm around his waist to support him.
Greyback lurched round, one hand pressed to his cheek, "Seems fit enough to me, witch!" he growled, advancing menacingly towards them. Severus pushed Narcissa behind him, shielding her with his body.
"Learn some respect, wolf! This is the Lady of the house and you will not raise a hand to her, or any other woman again!" he forced out, teeth gritted against the pain. The werewolf smiled and gave a short laugh.
"Big talk from a wizard who needs a witch to hold him up!" he continued advancing, "Without a wand too? You pathetic little people are no use without your sticks. You should've embraced the lycanthropy as the gift it was!"
Narcissa could feel the trembling in Severus's limbs as he fought to remain upright, his heart was hammering away like a hummingbird, his skin clammy.
"In most cases you are correct, Greyback. However, in my case, you are most assuredly incorrect," he flicked his wrist and a jet of flame flashed towards the wolf, catching his shoulder and singeing the black fabric and skin beneath. Greyback hissed in pain, and clasped his other hand to the burn.
"I am capable of terrible things without my little stick, as you so delicately put it. Care for me to demonstrate?" Severus raised an eyebrow.
Greyback snarled, baring his sharp teeth, saliva drooling from the corner of his mouth.
"I can do even worse with my teeth – you think that half-breed Lupin was a touch on me? I could rip your scrawny body in two and use your ribs for toothpicks, care for me to demonstrate?" he flexed his biceps and approached again.
"Leave us, Narcissa," Severus commanded in a voice that brooked no argument. She hesitated, before he hissed at her again, "Now!" She nodded and walked slowly to the door, turning her head one final time, her eyes meeting Severus's. For a moment neither looked away, and then Narcissa turned back and disappeared out of the door.
Once she had left, Severus allowed himself to sink slowly onto the side of the bed, his face pale and drawn, his breaths coming in pained gasps. Greyback prowled ever nearer, coming to stand over him as he struggled to remain conscious. The werewolf's hot, fetid breath drifted over his face as he leaned into it, strong hands gripping his shoulders hard and biting into the skin there.
"You are brave, for a snake," he growled, increasing his grip on Severus's shoulders until his nails broke the skin and he felt blood well up beneath them. Severus winced.
"What do you want? You are disturbing my rest. The Dark Lord will not be pleased when he learns of this."
Greyback laughed once, a short, mirthless bark. "The Dark Lord will be most interested to learn of your early morning visitor, a woman, no less."
Severus froze, his heart began to thud out of control. "I have seen no woman here besides Narcissa and her mad sister, Bella, if she even counts as a woman, that is."
The werewolf snarled again, using his vice-like grip to shake Severus hard. "Your mudblood mate, Snape – her scent is all over you. Who is she?"
In his disordered mind, he couldn't make sense of it. Another woman, here? No, she'd never get through the wards. She would've been seen, besides Dumbledore would never allow something so reckless –
"Answer me!" Greyback roared.
He was becoming increasingly confused, his mind was spinning in and out of focus, different snippets of memory assaulting him and making him woozy. Women's faces were swirling around him, their names refusing to form. He clamped his eyes shut as the dizziness increased ten-fold, and he could feel dark tendrils creeping up to drag him back to nothingness. Finally the kaleidoscope slammed to a halt and the random letters formed a chain - the name swam up to him and he grasped it like a life belt.
"Hermione!" he gasped, completely forgetting his audience. A satisfied grunt brought him to his senses and he forced his weary eyes open. A mangy face appeared, blurred and out of focus. It was laughing.
"Potter's mudblood! I should've guessed it!" the werewolf released his grip on the younger man and he collapsed instantly, like a marionette with its strings cut. Before oblivion seized him once more, Severus turned his blurry eyes to the werewolf and raised a shaking arm.
"Imperio –" Unforgiveables needed a great deal of magic, and a strong, disciplined core, of which Severus currently lacked both in his severely weakened state. The spell fizzled in his hand before dying in a splutter of red sparks and his arm fell uselessly to the floor beside him. His last sight before the darkness dragged him under was of a heavy booted foot rushing towards him with tremendous speed. Then there was a burst of white hot pain, then nothing.
XXX